Bound by Pages
by xPoppyx
Summary: Shy, soft spoken, and living vicariously through bound pages are the very reasons why Doc seeks the brothers to help his niece see the world beyond her books. Meanwhile, one brother finds the green eyes and demure smile more than he can resist...
1. The Beautiful New Bartender

**A/N I don't usually start new fanfictions while writing another, but when I do, it's because I have nothing better to do and newer, fresher ideas come to mind. So…here's the newest story blossoming in my mind.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Boondock Saints. Troy Duffy, writer and director, holds everything in his hands. The names are all his, save my personal character. **

**Chapter One: The Beautiful New Bartender**

**Boston: May, 1998**

Connor and Murphy MacManus were hanging up their white coats and throwing away the used latex gloves from another day of work. It didn't need to be said. Alcohol was wanted and McGinty's was on their minds. Oh how the brothers loved unwinding from a long day with some shots and rowdy friends at their favorite pub. There was no place like McGinty's. Sure, there were plenty of Irish pubs, but none had a bartender like old Doc. He was a man of his own kind. With his tourette's and favorite words of 'fuck' and 'ass' he gave the pub something no other had. The old man was funny, too, with a grand sense of humor. He could tell a joke and take them with the best of them. There were few old men as fun as the stuttering old man. With their old friend in their minds and the promise of alcoholic drinks, the twin brothers set out to the greatest pub in all of South Boston. Well, it was the greatest pub to them anyway. The two pushed and shoved in their natural, brotherly manner all the way to McGinty's.

Upon entering the pub there were already plenty of people sitting at the bar and in the two-to-four seating tables. A couple of young waitresses moved through the crowd taking and dishing out orders to the patrons of the lively little joint. The couple who noticed the brothers gave a polite wave and smile. They knew the boys well as frequenters of the pub.

Without missing a step, the boys went right up to the bar and took two seats amongst the group of men around them. Many of those men cheered happily at the appearance of the Irish twins. Doc, who was servicing the group, poured the boys two drinks without bothering to ask what they wanted. The twins cheered and toasted to the old man before enjoying their drinks.

Someone caught Murphy's attention. From the corner of his eye he saw a woman behind the bar. Nudging his brother, he nodded to the woman. Doc was usually the only one who actually stayed behind the bar. Waitresses would prepare the drinks then get on the floor to the people. Who was this new employee? Surely she had to be new. They would have recognized her long before had she not been. Who wouldn't have? From their end of the bar they could tell she was beautiful. They would even go as far as saying the woman had won the genetic lottery. This woman, this new employee of McGinty's, was average height, perhaps five-seven, five-eight at the most. Long, dark chocolate colored waves cascaded down her back in a waterfall of shining locks that ended a few good inches before her waistline. Her skin was creamy and seemingly unmarred, though not an overbearing shade of white. She had a touch of caramel to her skin. In their minds, the twins equated her skin tone with the color of caramel flavored coffee creamer; pale and creamy, but with the lightest hinting of a sun-kissed glow. Her body, clad in snug fitting jeans and a short-sleeved, three-buttoned, azure colored collared shirt that complimented her skin tone well, showed a well shaped hour-glass figure. The jeans showed her legs that were neither too long nor too short. Both of their right eyebrows arched at her chest. The mounds protruding from her chest were neither too large nor too petite. How was it possible for one woman to have the absolute, most perfect body? What secret did this girl have? From their seats they could see her smile demurely at the men who were ordering drinks and, more likely than not, hitting on her. She had a lovely smile. Her teeth didn't shine with that false, whitened look. They were natural and just off from completely white. Her lips were full well shaped. Again, the question of how could a woman look so amazing passed their minds.

Doc interrupted their stare, "B-Boys."

The looked back to the old man and said, "Yeah Doc?"

He chuckled and got the woman's attention.

With a sweet smile, she asked the men she was serving to excuse her just a moment while the boss needed her. Approaching the old man, she gave him a smile, "Yeah?"

The boys could see the woman more clearly now. If they thought her body was nice her face was something the angels in heaven would cry jealous tears of rage over. Her jaw was smooth and gave her face a soft oval shape. The jaw came together in a small chin that had the tiniest little cleft pressed into its center. The chin was set beneath full lips that were naturally colored, lacking the need of any lipstick or gloss. Above her lips was a small nose, slightly pointed with sleek, but not skeletal, nostrils. Her cheekbones were high, but not protruding or overly pronounced. Set behind dark lashes that had never seen a mascara brush were eyes that reminded the twins of the fields they romped in as children. The deep green of her eyes resembled the fresh fields of Ireland so perfectly it was awe inspiring. Those eyes were beneath arched brows. Above them was a small forehead, maybe only three or four fingers high. Her hair was parted directly down the middle at her widow's peak and her long bangs arched upwards before falling down to frame her face. Supporting her lovely face was a long, slender neck. From that very neck hung a thin silver chain and off the chain was a small cross with a sapphire set into the intersection. She was indeed an incredibly beautiful woman.

Doc nodded to the two boys, "Kareen, m-meet Murphy and Connor MacManus. Dey are frequ-qu-que, ugh, dey come of-often."

The two men lifted their hands in a simultaneous action and smiled smiles that mirrored each other causing a spark of notice to flash in the woman's eyes. Without having to ask, she knew they were more than just brothers. Having little doubt in her mind, she labeled them as twins.

Doc smiled, "B-Boys, thes es Kareen McGinty." He gave her a small nudge.

The brunette held out a hand to each of them and nodded slightly as each shook her smaller hand in their seemingly over-sized ones.

The boys looked at Doc. The old man had been married a while back, but they never knew he had had a daughter! Holy shit!

Murphy smirked at the wizened bartender, "How de fuck yah make a pretty ting like 'er?" He and his brother shared a laugh.

Doc sputtered a bit as Kareen blushed. With downcast eyes she said, "'e isn't me Da, no. 'e's my Granduncle, my Da's uncle." She smiled at her uncle, then back to the brothers, "Yer de twins dear Uncle Ian talks about, yeah?"

Connor and Murphy looked at each other before bursting with laughter.

Kareen raised a brow at their laughter and turned to her uncle. She was very confused. What had she said that was so funny?

Finally, the brothers looked at the elderly bartender.

"So _Ian _cin we 'ave anoder drink?"

"Yeah, _Ian, _let's have a shot!"

The brunette's mouth formed an expressive 'O' as she understood what was so funny. The brothers had never known her uncle's name. She knew his customers knew of him as 'Doc,' why she never knew, but she knew that's what they called him. Apparently she had let some cat out of the bag.

Doc shook his head, "Y-Yew two cin shut it _Fuck! Ass!_ or get outta my b-b-bar."

"Aw c'mon Doc, ye know we're just kiddin'."

"Yeah Doc, we didn't mean et."

He gave them an eye as his face gave a twitch. With a nod to his grandniece, he told them, "Kareen es n-new en America. I want ye ta make 'er f-f-feel w-w-welcome." He stared at them as the corner of his mouth pulled in a twitch, "An' dat mean n-no hittin' on 'er." Cane in hand, he hobbled off to the customers Kareen had left at the beckoning of her uncle.

A silence descended upon the three of them. Kareen, eyes down, kept to her work with a silent air of calmness.

Connor and Murphy shared a single glance. Now, they liked women. They hit on women, they chatted them up and went on the occasional date, but with only a single glance they agreed she was by far the prettiest.

Murphy gave her a sideways smirk, "So, Kareen, whah brings ye to the smog cloud thah es America? Why leave Ireland fer thes?"

She refilled their drinks and quietly said, "A change o' scenery an' ta see me Uncle Ian agin." For just a moment she turned her attention for two patrons beside the boys. She quickly filled glasses and handed them their drinks. Returning her attention to the boys, she gave them a small smile and said, "I dinna know how long I'll be stayin'."

The fairer haired of the brothers gave her a smile that danced in his hazel eyes, "Well, welcome ta America, Kareen."

With only a slight bow of her head did she accept his welcoming.

Murphy took a cigarette from his pack and lit up, "Where'd yah learn ta be a bartender, eh?" He blew a near perfect smoke ring off to his right, dispersing the ring by blowing the rest of the smoke through it.

"Me great-grandda 'as his own McGinty's back home. Dat's where I worked." Pulling out a fresh bottle, she topped off their drinks and the drinks of the men around them.

"Well, here's ta the new bartender," Murphy said as he raised his full glass to the woman. He got everyone's attention in their little group, "Ta Kareen, may she always keep glasses full and the alcohol flowing!"

"Yeah!" The men cheered and banged on the polished oak counter top as they drank their beers.

During his cheer, Connor noticed that her responses were short and she hardly made eye-contact. His curiosity was prodded as to why.

Kareen blushed deeply at the complimenting toast. How kind these men were to her. At least they weren't hitting on her right away. She never understood why guys found her so beguiling, especially the American men she had met. Were these men so focused on a pretty face that they didn't care what else she had to offer. Shrugging off the thought, she smiled and enjoyed the company of the twins and their friends. They made her smile. In her mind, she knew that these twin brothers were amongst the first friends she would make. She knew why. They were like home to her. Their common heritage made living in a world where people didn't care about where they came from easier. She felt at home with people who didn't ask for her to repeat herself due to her accent. It wasn't even that thick…

The hours wore on and the night passed with laughter and slightly fogged minds. Doc and Kareen shepherded the patrons slowly out the door until only two remained. The brothers MacManus never left with everyone else. Doc, being something of family to them, never kicked them out with the rest at closing time. Most of the time the old pub owner wouldn't even kick out their friends, but that night he was tired and could see the long day tiring his niece. The sooner everyone one left, the sooner they could both take to their beds in the apartment above the pub.

Kareen took a barstool and sat down at the oak counter opposite from the twins. She had her chin in the palm of her hand, and her elbow resting slightly on the polished wood. "I dunno whah ta do most o' de time. I want ta get out, but I cinna find my way around thes city. Et's too big fer me." An embarrassed blush crept across her cheeks at the admittance to her ineptitude for the city.

Murphy laughed and gave her a little nod, "We'll show y'around. Tomorrow or Saturday work?" He noted the color that splashed across her face. A small smile of appreciation showed itself.

She gave them each a gentle smile and said, "Whenever y'are free. I don't do much durin' de day 'cept read." There was the smallest twinkle of delight in her eyes. Reading was Kareen's escape.

Doc chimed in, "Aye, dis girl es n-n-never wit'out a book en 'er hands. She ev-ven keeps a book under da b-bar."

"Well tomorrow ye cin let de books alone an' we'll show y'around, right Murph?" Connor gave his brother a small shove as he smiled at Doc's niece.

"Aye. We'll get y'acquainted wit' de streets o' Boston before long."

Standing from her seat, she smiled that demure smile of her, "Tank ye, boys. Now, ef ye donna mind, I shall retire." With her smile still in place, she did no more than place a soft touch on each of their hands in thanks and good-bye. Kissing her uncle on the cheek, she turned to the set of stairs off to the back of the pub that led up to the apartment.

"Whah about us? Don't we get kisses?"

"Yeah! Don't be unfair!"

Kareen just laughed at them quietly and climbed the stairs. As she walked up the stairs quietly she could feel her cheeks burning from their comments. All her life Kareen had been the kind to easily blush.

Doc smiled at the boys, "Th-Thank ye, boys, fer offerin' ta help 'er around. Y-Y-Yesterday she w-went out fer groceries an' came back two hours later empty handed 'cause she cou-couldn't find de store. Poor dear _Fuck! Ass! _She was so frustrated wit' 'erself." His face twitched heavily. The mere thought of his favorite niece so helpless was disturbing. Perhaps her problem was that she tended to be so quiet and shy.

The boys chuckled at the girl's plight. Though not funny, it was cute. They could picture the pretty woman getting upset and red-faced. The image held a sort of adorable sense. After bidding their goodbyes, the boys walked the block back to their apartment.

"What a girl, yeah? Pretty ting."

"Aye."

"Whatcha tink Doc would do ef I tried askin' 'er out sometime?"

Murphy snorted at his brother, "Doc may be old an' 'e may be strange, but I'm sure 'e wouldn't like ye tryin' ta date 'er."

Connor nodded, "Yeah, yer right." He smirked, "He probably wouldn't mind ef an ugly fuck like yerself tried, though. He'd probably tink ye were just tryin' yer 'ardest an' hopin' she just might say yes."

"Aw fuck yew!"

The brothers laughed and brawled lightly as they entered their loft.

Both fell asleep with an image of Kareen McGinty on their mind. She with her chocolate hair, hill-colored eyes, and that damn pretty demure smile made an impression on the twins. Both wanted to know this pretty new bartender more. Both wondered about her. There was something about her they couldn't quite pin. Perhaps they would pin it the next day as they showed her around South Boston.

**A/N Yes, I know this opening chapter feels a little slow and a bit dull. I promise you, I have more ideas and plans all worked out for how Kareen fits into the lives of the brothers. Just be patient with me.**


	2. Doc's Request

**A/N Surprisingly enough, I find writing Kareen a challenge so early on. She's a very quiet character and I'm known for my temper-having, loud-mouthed, smart-ass, Commander Bitch leading ladies. Kareen is a new character type for me. I hope I write her well.**

**Chapter Two: Doc's Request**

Murphy and Connor walked into the empty pub a few minutes before it was twelve o'clock on the dot. They had let Kareen know when they would be there to escort her about the parts of town she would need to know about. As they waited they hopped up on barstools and joked about. Murphy leaned over and grabbed a bottle of whiskey and the two started passing it back and forth. They would pay Doc for it later, if he even charged them. Most of the time the old barkeep would make them pay for their first few drinks, but after that he didn't care. The twins were too much like family to make them pay the rather expensive tabs they would usual have going by the end of a night of drinking. Other patrons were never so lucky.

Looking at the aged clock on the wall, Connor noted the time. It was nearly one. "Where de hell es she? I ain't gunna be mean ta Doc's niece, but what ef we had other shet ta do?"

Murphy snorted a laugh and took a swig of the drink, "We never have shet ta do."

"Yeah, well, I said 'what ef' so fuck off."

Above them in the little apartment, Doc walked into the spare room where his grandniece was staying. She was curled up in a large, overstuffed chair with her legs tucked beneath her and a thick book in her hand. A pair of sleek, black reading glasses were sitting near the tip of her nose. Despite not wanting to interrupt her when she was reading, he knew the boys were waiting for her downstairs. Clearing his throat, Doc said, "Kareen."

Snapping her head up from the pages, she quickly set her glasses on the small table beside the chair, "How long 'ave dey been down dere?" Her voice was quite. She had no clue of the time.

"Since noon, when d-d-dey said dey'd be 'ere."

Standing and marking her place with a strip of silky purple ribbon, Kareen calmly asked, "Whah time es et?"

"One."

For only a split second her eyes widened and her body tensed. Taking quick control of herself, Kareen looked at her uncle with soft eyes, "I wish ye woulda gotten me sooner."

"I-I-I didn't wanna bother yer readin' a' first." He gave her a gentle smile and hobbled away from her room.

Kareen quickly grabbed her small, plain black purse and slipped on her plain and simple, slightly heeled black sandals. After making sure everything was in order and that nothing on her person was astray she headed downstairs and found the boys enjoying a drink at the bar.

The two didn't see or hear the woman approach at first. Instead, they continued talking and enjoying their drink.

"Whah d'ya suppose es takin' 'er?"

Murphy shrugged as he accepted the bottle from his brother, "Who knows? Women are women; hair, makeup, clothes, thah sorta shet."

With a laughing snort, Connor took the bottle back, "Aye."

It was then Kareen cleared her throat and softly said, "I apologize fer bein' late." She looked at Murphy. In truth his comment had ruffled her feathers, but her face displayed no more than sincerity. She smiled gently, "I was lost en a book."

The brothers looked at the woman they had met the night before. No, it hadn't been the alcohol, or the haze from cigarette smoke, or the dim lighting. No. Kareen really was as pretty as they thought she was. Today she had forgone wearing hip-hugging jeans like she had the previous night. Now she was wearing an ankle length peasant skirt that was black with white spiraling designs along the hem. Her torso was adorned in a collared shirt exactly like the one she had worn the night before, but the color of this top was a pale lavender shade of purple. Again, her long chocolate hair was left down without so much as a clip to hold back a loose strand. Her face was untouched by makeup and held a natural beauty that would probably never need the powders and paints.

The paler brother sat the bottle down on the bar and stood, "Well, glad ye could join us." He gave her a smile.

Connor rolled his eyes and headed for the door, "Alright den, le's go."

With a small nod, Kareen clasped her hands together before her and followed the twin brothers quietly out onto the streets of busy, midday South Boston.

Murphy looked at her over his shoulder, "Alright. First tings first. Dere's a little corner store two blocks over. Et's dirt cheap compared ta most places an' de quality ain't bad." He took a right down another street.

Kareen quickly noted the name of the street and the names of a few stores and apartment complexes that she could use as note-worthy landmarks. She stopped and looked in a store window for a moment. It was an antique's shop and what was in the window stand had her attention. It was a small chest, a jewelry box, completely silver save some tarnish at the corners. Beautiful, curving flowers were inlaid on the box and each one has a small pearl at its center. She stared at the beautiful box and could almost see a woman in a long, fully enclosed dress with a wide skirt putting away her most treasured necklace and entrusting it to the gorgeous little chest. She was just about to walk into the store to purchase the item, regardless of cost, when she felt a hand wrap around her elbow. Turning, she was looking into the hazel eyes of Connor.

"C'mon. Ye know, we were two blocks away when we noticed ye weren't dere."

She looked down at her toes, "Sorry…I saw et en de window an'…sorry…"

Connor looked in the window at the box. A brow arched as he looked back at Kareen.

Murphy, from a few yards away, called out, "C'mon yew two! Dere's more ta see den some ol' antique shet!"

Slightly torn, Kareen looked back at the box.

Heaving a sigh, Connor said, "Get et, den get back out here."

The look Kareen gave him was like he had put a million dollars in her hands. Quickly, she went into the store.

From where they stood, Murphy and Connor watched as Kareen spoke to the old shopkeeper behind the counter. The woman walked over, plucked the box from the display, and gently wrapped it in a scarf. She placed it into a box, then a bag, and handed it to Kareen as she paid for the item.

Murphy turned to his brother, "Really? We've got other shet ta do."

"Aye, but she looked like she rally wanted et."

"Yer too soft."

"Shut et."

When Kareen walked out of the shop, she had the smallest smile on her face as they continued their tour of the important places she would need to know.

Connor hung back a moment to talk to Kareen, "So how do ye like Boston?"

She gave the tiniest of sighs, "Et's too big, but thes es where Uncle Ian es, so thes es where I am."

He looked her over. The long skirt, polo shirt, and slightly heeled sandals gave her a casually formal look. His brow knitted together, "Whah's wit' de clothes? All we're doin' es showin' y'around."

Kareen looked down at her style of dress and replied calmly, "Et's whah I always wear."

Murphy pointed at a bar, "Don't ever go en dere. No woman stands a chance, if you catch me meaning."

That sent a wave of red over her cheeks.

Connor chuckled and pointed out, "She works fer Doc, she ain't ever goin' in anoder pub!"

Both men were stopped at the strange, tinkling sound. Who was ringing bells? They turned to see Kareen laughing quietly at Connor's comment. The two looked at each other with eyebrows raised. The last time they had heard a laugh like that they were kids watching some cartoon Disney movie or something along those lines. With a question on their minds, they kept showing Kareen around South Boston.

Around five they stopped in at a small food joint for a bite to eat. It was a small place with few people sitting in the small booths enjoying what little the joint had to offer.

Kareen sat across from Murphy and Connor as they enjoyed burgers and fries. She took a small sip from her fizzing soda. Looking at the boys, she said, "Tank ye, agin, fer helpin' me. I feel better."

Murphy nodded at her with a smile, "No problem. T'ain't every day ye get ta help a pretty girl like yerself."

Connor gave him a shove, "Doc said not ta hit on 'er!"

"I ain't hittin' on her!"

"Yes y'are!"

"No, I'm not!"

Thus ensued an argument about whether or not the man truly was or was not hitting on the young woman.

Kareen leaned forward and put a hand on each of theirs. She gave them a small smile, "Whether 'e was er wasn't, I don't care. I don't acknowledge flirtations."

The two stopped and looked at her. Really? She didn't? Why were they surprised? They had noticed throughout the day how very shy and soft spoken she seemed. It seemed obvious that she would ignore compliments and flirtations dished out by men. Hadn't she? The guy at the counter of the little grocers had tried to get her number and she only smiled and walked away after gently refusing. It was almost sweet how she did it, too. What was with this girl?

After their early dinner, they returned to McGinty's. The pub was starting to fill with patrons, despite the early hour.

Kareen gave them each a smile, "Help yerselves ta some drinks. Tonight dey're on de house fer yer help." Turning, she walked upstairs to change for the night of work. She never worked in a skirt. Jeans were always more comfortable.

With thankful smiles, the boys took their usual seats at the bar.

Doc smiled at the boys, "W-W-Was et successful?"

Connor nodded, "Aye. She's a good lass. 'ow old es she? Sometimes she seems older den ya tink, but she don't look et."

Doc shook his head, "Kareen e-es…hmm…" He had to stop and think for a moment, mumbling to himself to remember how old his grandniece was. Looking up at the boys he smiled, "Sh-She's twenty-tree. She'll be twenty four e-en _Fuck! Ass! _en No-Novemb-ber." His face gave a little twitch as he poured someone a drink.

Connor looked to his brother as if to say _She seems so much older._

Murphy shrugged and just brushed off the fact that the seemingly older woman was actually three years their junior.

Their attention was suddenly drawn by the appearance of the dark-haired beauty making her appearance behind the bar. She had changed out her long black skirt for a more comfortable pair of jeans and, by the sound she made while walking, her partially heeled sandals for tennis shoes or boots. With her usual sweet smile in place, she told her uncle of the day she had had with the twin brothers. Both brothers noticed one thing. Where most girls would have gabbed incessantly about their day, Kareen simply told her uncle that the boys were kind and had showed her around to every place she would need. Connor noted that she didn't even mention her purchase of the silver box. Wouldn't a girl usually tell about something like that?

Doc only smiled at his niece. He was used to Kareen's behavior and found nothing out of place. However…He knew she was still different from most young people her age. _She should act like the waitresses or even Conn and Murph. She isn't exactly normal…_He looked at the boys and waved for them to get closer, "C-C'mere boys."

They leaned forward, curious with the apparent secret about to be spoken.

The old man nodded, "Kareen e-es different, ef y-ye haven't noticed."

The two nodded. She was more than different.

"W-Well, I want ye ta change dat. Y-Y-Ye see, de girl spends s-s-so much time _Fuck! Ass!_" A few people glanced over at the sudden outburst, but most ignored it as a usual deal with the barkeep. "Sh-she spends so much time e-en 'er books. I d-don't tink she kn-knows how ta b-be normal."

Murphy raised a brow, "Well, whaddya want us ta do?"

With a roll of his eyes, the man's brother said, "Obviously, 'e wants us ta hang wit' her an' see ef we cin change her 'round."

Doc nodded, "E-Exactly. N-Now don't completely change 'er, Kareen es fine enough. Ju-Ju-Just get 'er ta see dere es more ta life den books an' deir morals." He glanced down the bar at his niece. As always, she was quietly doing her job and handing out drinks to the customers. Her eyes were cast down and it was as though she didn't even hear their compliments. He shook his head. _A girl as pretty as her should enjoy the praise, not ignore it. I don't know why she refuses them so...It's those damn books, it is! _

"Dontcha worry, Doc, we'll open 'er eyes ta what life's really like!"

"Yeah! We gotcha covered."

Doc looked at the two. Oh, how he loved the brothers. He remembered the first time they met. The two young men, straight off a boat, had made a quick home of a dumpy loft. One night, when they wanted a good drink, they sauntered into the pub and took their seats at the bar. They were caught off guard the first time Doc had had one of his outbursts and couldn't help but laugh at the man at first. Naturally, some frequenters of the bar didn't take kindly to their favorite old man being laughed at. After a good tussle, the boys apologized and quickly became friends of their assailants. The rest of the night was spent drinking themselves into a stupor and stumbling home as they woke nearly the entire neighborhood with their raucous singing. Doc loved the boys. For nearly five years they had been like the sons he had never had. With a happy smile, he thanked them, "Tank ye, b-boys."

Connor looked down the bar at the brunette. Yes…It was obvious she seemed apart from everything else. She was like a puzzle piece with the protruding edges cut off until she was just a square piece. She didn't fit into the bigger picture, but her absence was duly noted when it seemed like something was missing. The question was…_what is missing from Kareen to make her fit?_

**A/N Alright, the first two went up together because I refused to upload until I knew who would get Kareen in the end. Now that I figured it out, they are up and please let me know what you think!**


	3. Examination

**A/N So…I was demanded by a friend to continue. Here we go with the next installment. Hope y'all like it!**

**Disclaimer: In this chapter, Kareen is reading. The scene is from the novel **_**The Border Lord's Bride **_**by Bertrice Small. I do not own her idea, her characters, or her style. I am simply placing them within the story. Understanding that, though the novel was published in 2007 and it's 1998 in my story, please remember, this IS fictitious. I simply placed it amongst her novels due to it's setting.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Margaret Mitchell's tale of the Old South **_**Gone with the Wind**_**. I simply placed it within the story.**

**Chapter Three: Examination**

The brothers MacManus were sitting in their apartment in the morning at an old table in dire need of replacing. Naturally, there was debris scattered all over the place. Beer cans and full ashtrays with spent butts were on every flat surface, a few empty pizza boxes were lying beside the trash bin, waiting to be remembered the next time the boys made a trash run. In the designated bedroom space where the two twin-sized mattresses laid, dirty clothes piled high in the corner that were begging with sad eyes to be washed and put away into the rickety old dresser the boys shared. The bedspreads were covering more of the floor than the beds themselves, but neither man seemed to care. Making a bed was pointless if one was only going to mess it up the next evening.

"So how we gunna do thes?" It had been two weeks since Doc had charged them with their task of getting Kareen to look past inked pages. They hadn't even figured out how they were supposed to start going about the task. In those two weeks they had seen much of the brunette and had many evenings at the bar conversing with her, but they had made no headway on anything.

Connor looked at his inquiring brother. He had been thinking the question himself, but his brother's vocalization brought it into new light. How _were_ they going to do this? How were they going to get a woman to break God knows how many years of habit and see the world beyond her books? Staring down at the half-smoked cigarette held neatly at the junction of his index and middle-finger, Connor thought about the delicate, yet forceful way the task had to be executed. Taking a drag, he blew the smoke as he spoke, "First tings first, we gotta figure more about thes chick."

"Whaddya mean?"

Hazel eyes rolled in their sockets at Murphy's question. "We gotta understand whah et es dat makes 'er so quiet an' shy. Es et just de books? Es she anti-social? Does she not know whah ta do? Gotta get answers fer de questions at hand."

The darker haired twin nodded in understanding, "Right. So how we gunna do thah?" He lit a fresh cigarette and stared at a peculiar spot on the table as he blew the smoke out his nose.

Connor stared at the wall. Like a flash across his mind, he watched a scene from a movie. The man was watching a person across the room and taking notes. A private detective. He smacked the table, "I got et! Here's what we do." He had a grin on his face. "We watch 'er, right? We take mental notes about whah she does durin' de day an' how she reacts ta people an' certain situations. We gotta see whah makes 'er tick, yah know?"

Murphy raised a brow, "Ye mean stalk 'er?"

"No, ye twit! Not stalk, just…observe…examine."

"Oooh." The brother nodded his head in agreement, "Alright den. When do we start?"

"Tonight. We go ta McGinty's fer a shot o' Irish an' start den."

The brothers nodded at each other. They stood and grabbed their coats and headed out the door to make their way to the meat-packing plant they worked for.

**Meanwhile**

Kareen was in her little bedroom above the bar. She was laying out on her bed with her head at the foot of the mattress. Her knees were bent and her feet in her air that were crossed at the ankles. She was propped up on a pillow. Her elbow dug into the downy softness and her chin rested easily on her enclosed fist. The book that was before her lay open and approximately fifty pages in as her right hand held it open and her eyes scanned the page, soaking in the literature. In her mind she was watching a movie. She could see the young Scottish heiress riding hard across the highlands in the depths of the night to beg for the protection of the King, her friend, for the murder she was certain she had committed. _The bastard deserved it! _Kareen thought to herself at the end of a paragraph. _If he wanted to try an' rape a woman who isn't willing, but knife-wielding, he deserved his fate! _Engrossed in the scene, she continued to read, giving a slight shout of triumph as the fiery-haired heroin reached the party of men who had escorted her home. Now she would have their protection incase any one found her out. _Hmmm…Duncan Armstrong is a marvelously handsome sounding man…_She smirked slightly as she read. Though few in comparison to the other novels on her shelf, there were novels containing more…adult…themes and scenes. _The Border Lord's Bride _was amongst those novels. Reaching down to the floor, Kareen grabbed her tall glass of water and took a sip as she continued to read. With any luck, her day would be slow enough that she could finish the book before work. If not, it would join her little stash of books beneath the bar. She had finished them, but kept them there so she wouldn't have to leave her place to find another. With a happy smile, she continued on, following Ellen's journey with Duncan to the kind's palace.

Her head snapped up as she heard knuckles rap on the hardwood of her door. Quickly looking down she finished off the paragraph and laid the ribbon across the page. "C'mon en."

Doc opened the door and stepped inside. It was close to eight-thirty in the morning and he had wondered if she was awake or not. He smiled slightly when he saw the book beneath her hand. "I-I just wanted ta see ef ye were a-awake er not." By the looks of it, she had been awake a while now. She was dressed for the day and her brown hair looked too dark to be completely dry.

She smiled at her uncle. Setting the book aside she moved to sit on the end of the bed. Her choice of skirt for the day was white at the top that faded into a spring-grass green shade. She matched it with a white collared shirt. With a smile, she said, "Oh, I've been up fer a while. Woke up a' six an' couldn't go back ta sleep. Finished a book, took a shower an' got dressed, den started a new one." She nodded her head to the novel with a red haired woman in old fashioned Scottish garments on the front.

The old man walked in and sat in her over-stuffed chair, "Whah's des one about?" Though she often lost him in her explanations, it was good to see her animated talking. If there was one thing that got her gabbing like a normal girl would, it was her books.

"Oh et's a great story so far! Yah see, thes Scottish lass en fourteen-ninety-four es de heiress ta her grandda's estate. When long lost, an' possibly fake, relatives try ta take Lochearn, the estate, Ewan, her grandda, sends Ellen, de lass, ta de court o' de King ta wait out 'er life en peace an' away from de t'reat o' de bad men. Den, yah see…" She went off on a long tangent about the plot of the book and describing everything that had happened so far in the beginning pages of the period novel.

Doc just grinned to himself with the occasion unconscious flutter of the hand or twitch of his face as he listened to his niece tell the opening tale of the life of the Scottish girl. She had lost him quickly in her vehement explanation, but he didn't care. When she finished, he chuckled, "Et s-sounds grand. Now, how about some breakfast?"

Kareen hopped up and walked to the little kitchen of the small apartment, "Breakfast et es! How about pancakes an' a rasher o' bacon?"

The man sat down at the small, neat table and nodded his approval. He wasn't sure what it was, but Kareen didn't seem so…odd…when it was just the two of them in their little abode. No, she seemed almost normal. There was still on air of shyness about her, but it was nothing compared to the impenetrable force-field that seemed to surround her when she was in public.

She was quiet as she prepared breakfast for the both of them, thinking only of what would happen next in the life of the highland heiress. With deft hands, she mixed up the batter for the pancakes and laid bacon to fizzle and pop in her skillet. Before long the aromatic smell of cooking meat and pancakes that were turning golden filled the small kitchen and dining area.

Doc beamed a smile at the young woman as she laid plate with the food before him. She had a hand for making anything that would go on the table at breakfast. See her at dinner, and that was a different story…but breakfast, "De most important meal o' de day" as she always reminded him, was her forte.

After breakfast, Doc watched as she quickly handled the dishes and went straight back to her room. He shook his head. _Those damn books…_

** That Night**

Connor and Murphy were sitting in their usual seats at the old polished oak counter top. They were already two drinks in and laughing with some of the other men at the bar when Kareen made her appearance. The brothers noticed her right away, as they had been waiting for her to show her pretty face for nearly half an hour. She was in her usual 'uniform' of a collared shirt, her jeans, and a pair of comfortable, low-heeled black ankle-high boots. Tonight her white shirt did three things for her. First, it showed off the pretty paleness of her skin, but also the healthy, sun-kissed glow it had. Second, the white showed her shape better than any color she had worn before. Third, the brightness of the white made her dark hair look all the darker as it cascaded over her shoulders. The boys noticed as she slipped a book beneath the bar for later.

They watched her as the evening passed. Unless she was bent to pick something up or leaning casually on the counter, her back was straight as an arrow and her shoulders squared. Her chin was parallel to the ground, her lips were together, but it seemed she held her teeth apart. The thickly lashed lids of her eyes rested easily as she looked at everyone through half-lidded eyes. On the off occasion when she walked the floor of the bar, they noticed her steps were neither too long nor too short nor too quick. She seemed to float almost.

Connor was the one to make the connection. He had seen women who walked like that, held their heads like that, and looked through eyes that looked like that in movies. Old movies…or at least movies set in times long past. She was walking as though she was walking through the halls of a palace instead of an Irish pub full of rowdy men. Why?

The twins continued to watch the woman as she went about her work quietly, speaking only when spoken to, giving her usual short answers, and kept her eyes down. How on earth could she maintain such a manner in a place like McGinty's? They both noted that when her eyes did wander, it was to where her books lay beneath the bar. It was as though she was barely tolerating her work and would gladly brush it aside if she could just sit down for ten minutes to read however many pages she could fit in to the timeframe. As the night wore on, her eyes went to the stack of books more and more.

Finally her reprieve came.

It was close to eleven at night. The bar would be open for a few more hours, until two in the morning, but the last few hours were always slower. The people were so full of their intoxicating drinks that their moods had gone from screaming high to calm low as they nursed their last drink or two.

Kareen, a small smile on her face, sat on the countertop attached to the back wall of the pub. She crossed her right leg over her left at the knee and reached for the book she had brought down. Earlier in the day she had finished _The Border Lord's Bride _with a happy smile at the happy ending. The book she had brought down was thick, much thicker than the one she had read before. Setting it on her knee, she cracked it open to the first page and began reading the tale of the Old South so beautifully written by Margaret Mitchell.

The boys, who were chatting quietly with Doc, noticed her sitting down to read. There weren't enough patrons for her to bother with working at the moment.

Murphy looked at her for a few long moments. What he saw was a woman, sitting on a counter, reading some book.

What Connor saw was something totally different. He was looking at a woman who had hair the color of dark chocolate or freshly brewed coffee. It was pulled over her right shoulder and tucked behind each ear, revealing the side of her neck. Her head was tilted slightly as she stared at the pages of her book. He could just make out the green of her eyes as she gazed intently at the ink on the pages before her. She held the book so delicately in her hand as she rested it on her knee. There must have been an interesting part, because suddenly her brow furrowed and she bit her lip. What was so frustrating in the story propped up on her knee? He continued to stare at her with the deepest of concentration. Then, a thought he didn't even think was his own passed through his mind like a whisper on the wind: _I wish I was that book…_

Just as he the words passed through his mind, he was suddenly looking into the green eyes that had been looking down at ink covered pages just a moment before.

He looked away the second he made eye contact with her.

Kareen didn't look back down at her book just yet…No. She looked at the man who had been looking at her and the man beside him. The brothers really were quite handsome men. Murphy, with his short, dark brown hair with only a few shades different from her own, paler skin, and those blue eyes that seemed to dance when he smiled. Oh…He was a handsome fellow. His jaw was well-shaped and came together at a good chin. Above his chin was a small mouth with exaggerated lines and shaping that was surrounded by a slight brown scruff. His nose was straight and smaller than his brother's, but a touch longer at the same time. His forehead was smaller and the dark splay of hair stood out in a grand contrast. He was handsome, yes, but it was the man beside him that held her attention longer. Connor had something Murphy didn't…Was it the fact that his skin was darker? Was it how his hazel eyes would change color? She did like hazel eyes on any person. Oh, how she adored those kind of eyes that would be a shade of green one day, blue the next, and a tan-ish brown the next. They were wondrous eyes. She bit her lip a little as she looked at the man. Searching her mind, she finally pinned the difference. Connor had a more…rugged…look. With his light brown, nearly blonde hair that stood on end over a high forehead with sleek, but not thin brows. His nose was a touch bigger than his brother's, but not unattractively so. Below his nose were full lips, topped with a scruff over a full chin and round jaw. There was the same scruffiness on his chin that ran along his jaw and up the sides. Much like Scarlett O'Hara with Brent and Stuart Tarlton, she couldn't quite decide which brother was the handsomer. No…That was a lie. Gazing at the tan, fair haired man she knew instantly he was the more attractive twin. Yet a question blazed through her mind like a wild fire, setting flame to more questions.

_Why was he staring at me like that?_

_Surely he never looked at me like that before?_

_Uncle Ian always says I'm pretty…does Connor think I'm pretty, too?_

_I've known them two weeks and they've kept to Uncle's request over not flirting with me, but does he want to? Would he flirt with me?_

_Would I flirt back?_

That thought struck a new cord. Would she?

_Would I flirt back?_

_Would I encourage it?_

_Why was he staring at me like that!_

**A/N And so they begin with their task. Now, I want to send this chapter out to a friend of mine. Arionn, you were the first person to read this story and you helped me decide on the title when I just couldn't choose between a few different ones. This chapter goes to you! Mainly because you also prodded me until I wrote it!**


	4. Success at the Pool

**A/N I spent the day at the pool and got the idea for this chapter. Lemme know what you think. Now, be warned, this is a long chapter, but there was much to say and do and I didn't want to skip anything. Honestly, I think it may be the longest chapter I've ever written! I do promise they won't all be obnoxiously long, just some!**

**Chapter Four: Success at the Pool**

**Mid-June**

The day was hot. Sweltering is a more suitable word. With the sun high in the sky, people were retreating indoors out of its oppressive heat and glaring beams. McGinty's was open. Kareen had decided to open early, at eleven, instead of the usual three due to the heat. It was one. She knew people on the streets would want something ice cold to drink and they had everything from water to whiskey to beer to lemonade. Due to the harsh light from the sun, she had the blinds down, but slightly open to allow some light in. Many people were finding the air-conditioned pub a joyous reprieve from the heat of the day. At the booths sat people enjoying icy drinks and even a bite of the meager food the joint offered. There was no age limit on who could enter McGinty's until six in the afternoon, so parents who had braved the heat with their kids were grateful the pub did not turn their little ones away. Now, Kareen was standing behind the bar, serving people their drinks and walking the floor occasionally. She had called in two of the waitresses with the promise of an extra quarter-an-hour to their pay for coming in early. She and the two blonde helpers were handling the coming and going of patrons with relative ease. There were enough people to make keep them busy, but not enough to make it unbearable.

The door swung open to reveal two men walking in, a dirty blonde/brunette and a chocolate brunette. They were donned in something many people thought ridiculous on such a scorching day. Both were in long jeans and work boots, one was in a black tee while the other wore a dark grey one. How were they not dying of heat! They weren't though. The men walked right up to the bar and plopped themselves down at the shiny oak counter. One of them, the darker haired, called out to the bartender, "'ey Kareen!"

Her head spun about to see the twin brothers. A small smile graced her lovely features. In the nearly month and a half that she had known the twins she had become friends with the boisterous brothers. The boys had this strange way of making her smile and blush more than usual. Quickly handing over two cold beers to waiting men, she moved down the bar with a happy smile on her face, "Hey boys. Whatcha doin' out en thes heat?"

Connor gave her a smile, "We came ta steal yah away."

She shook her head slightly, "I can't. I gotta work. We're busy, can't yah see dat?"

Murphy and his brother spun on their stools and looked around. Yes, there was a good number of people in the pub basking in the cool air about them and downing frigid drinks. The blue-eyed twin pouted, "Aw c'mon, Kareen! Where's Doc? Can't he take over fer yah?"

"Uncle Ian es slee—"

"No, I'm n-not!" The old man walked behind the bar to Kareen. He looked around his beloved pub, then back to his niece and said, "Go on, den. G-G-Get out." There was a smile on his twitching face. "Ye been cooped up e-en 'ere fer tree days. I wantcha ta get out a bet."

She wouldn't have that. "No, I'm not! I'm stayin' 'ere an' workin'!"

Doc hopped on the defensive, "Ye're goin' er I'm s-s-sendin' yah home!"

Her pale face blanched. She narrowed her eyes at the old man. "Ye wouldna dare!"

Murphy and Connor watched the two with smirks slapped laughingly on their faces. They knew that when it came to Doc, most of her shy mannerisms fell away and she seemed almost normal. Almost…

"I would. Now git!"

With a sigh, knowing she was beaten and taking the loss, she walked over to the stairs that lead up to the small apartment above the pub.

The twins jumped up from their seats to meet her at the end of the counter.

Looking at them, she asked quietly, "Where are we goin'?"

The brothers shared a quick look of excitement before saying, simultaneously, "The pool."

They both saw a strange emotion flash through her eyes before Kareen simply nodded and went upstairs to change. Without missing a beat they followed. They had only ever been up there a few times and never while Kareen was living with the old man. There was definitely something different. Before, dishes might be in the sink, rubbish on table tops, or something dirty in some corner long forgotten. Now the small apartment was spotless and smelled like candles. The brothers looked at each other and thought the same thing; _A woman definitely lives here…_

They both jumped when they heard the sound of heavy objects connecting with the floor followed by the quiet whisper of some harsh word they couldn't make out. When curiosity overcame the both of them, the brothers walked down the hall and peeked into the bedroom through the doorway. Kareen, still dressed, was picking up books off the floor and stacking them back up by her nightstand. The brother's looked at each other. The stack had to be ten books high and all seemed no less than three- or four-hundred pages. They knew she read big books, but how many did she have?

When the stack was in place and she didn't think she would accidentally kick it over again, she walked over to her dresser and opened the bottom drawer. Pulling out her suit and a cover-up, she started to get changed.

The brothers walked back out to the living area and plopped down on the couch.

"Ye tink she's got enough books?"

Murphy raised a brow, but didn't answer the rhetorical question.

A few minutes later, Kareen walked out into the living area in a knee-length pale blue sundress, sandals, sunglasses on her head and a bag slung over her shoulder. They could see the straps to her bathing suit peeking out from the top of the sleeves of the dress.

She looked at them, "Whah 'bout yew two? Where's yer stuff?"

Connor smiled, "En de car, now c'mon!"

As they walked out of the apartment, Murphy headed down the stairs first. Connor and Kareen went down side-by-side, unintentionally of course. However, the man slung an arm over her shoulders, "We're meetin' up wit' some buddies at da pool."

"From de bar?"

"Aye."

She felt…uneasy…that he had his arm draped so casually about her. He had never done it before. Swallowing hard, she just nodded at his words.

The three of them piled into the car and headed off. Kareen was informed they were heading to a friend's apartment building. The place had a decent sized pool and there would probably be a good amount of people there. On a day as hot as it was how could there not be?

Upon arrival and after being buzzed in, Connor and Murphy lead Kareen through the main lobby and straight out the back door. Enclosed by a high brick fence was a decently sized pool. It looked well taken care of and was surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrellas. Kareen, not even caring where the boys intended to go, made a bee-line for one of the umbrellas. She had watched as a family gathered their things and left. Just as they stepped away from the chairs, she put her stuff down on one. There was no way she would be out in the sun without an umbrella. Kareen hated getting a burn and she didn't feel like increasing the small amount of freckles on her body. Laying a purple and blue stripped towel out on the lawn chair, she sat down and watched as the brothers disappeared into the men's shower and bathroom to change. With a happy smile she laid out on the chair and pulled a book from her bag. There were a few too many people at the pool for her at that moment and she refused to go in until maybe another family or two went back to their apartments. Only then would she discard her sundress and go for a swim.

The brothers walked out of the shower area in their trunks with their clothes bundled under their arms and their boots held in a free hand. Both were wearing plain black swimming trunks. They saw Kareen had snagged them a spot, but they both shook their head disapprovingly at her sitting in the shade of the umbrella with a book on her lap and the sunglasses firmly in place over her eyes. Shrugging, they walked over and dropped their things next to one of the chairs beside Kareen's.

Looking up, and despite the shades, Kareen had to blink at the sight of the two for two distinct reasons. First, the sun glared off Murphy's rather pale chest harshly. Second, she had to blink just to stop herself from staring at their shirtless forms. _Oh my…_Crossed her mind as she looked at Connor from behind her sunglasses.

The blue-eyed twin smiled, "C'mon Kareen, let's get en!"

"Yeah! Hope on en wit' us!"

She just shook her head with a little smile, "Let me read a few chapters, den I'll join ye."

They set her with a pair of frowns and pouting faces that almost made her reconsider before they ran off to the deep end where a spring board and a stiff board were flanked by short lines of people waiting for leap off them and into the pool.

Kareen allowed herself to set the book down with a hand holding her page as she watched people jump off the boards in a display of dives, cannonballs, and flips. She didn't realize it at first, but she was waiting to watch the brothers go off before she would return to her book. Finally, she watched as Murphy hopped up onto the board. Waiting only until the previous jumper had made it safely to the side did he run and bounce off the end. Kareen's eyes widened and she swore he was going to hit his head. She breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't and executed the back-flip with no harm done. In fact, she was quite impressed when he finished off the flip by diving in. She didn't think it was possible to get a high enough jump to spin backwards one and a half times before diving into the water, but he had done it. _Show off…_passed through her mind. Behind him was Connor. He stood at the end of the board, waiting for Murphy to swim to the edge. Kareen watched with her interest piqued. What could he do? She waited patiently, holding her breath unknowingly. He ran to the end of the board and jumped, bouncing high. Turning to his side and tucking a knee high, he landed a few feet from the edge and made a huge splash, soaking the lifeguard. She laughed when the lifeguard turned in her seat, trying not to get wet. _Oh course you would do that, Connor…_She thought as she raised her book back up and continued to read.

Time began to pass. Their friends had showed up and the men, boys more like it with their behavior, were daring each other to do stupid shit off the diving boards. Each dare got worse and worse.

Kareen was watching them from over the edge of her book. She had read half as much as usual in the hour that had passed. With the tiniest of smirks on her face, she watched as each man leapt off the board to either laughter or praise as he executed whatever trick was dared on him. Shaking her head, she turned back to the words on the pages. After hearing a few more splashes followed by hisses of pain or cheers, she just shook her head and ignored them. The words on the page held more entertainment than the men did.

Hearing wincing and the wet patter of footsteps approaching, she looked up from her book.

Connor was walking up. His stance reminded her of a man who had just fallen into a thorn bush and was trying his hardest not to move and feel the sting of the sharp little needles. When he sat down, he winced a little, but gave her a smile.

Kareen raised a brow, "Whah did ye do ta yerself?"

He nodded a head over to the diving board, "Didn't land right."

"I asked whah ye did."

H looked away and made a not-telling sort of face.

"Whah did ye do, Connor?"

He answered her, but to quietly for her to hear.

"Huh?"

"Tried ta do a double front flip…Didn't rotate enough…"

"And?"

"Landed on me back." He turned and revealed a back that she could only equate the color with a freshly boiled lobster.

She tried not to laugh. Reaching over, she gave his knee a pat and smiled at him sweetly, "Ye poor ting."

Connor could hear the sarcasm lacing her voice and gave a snort. He nodded to the pool, "Y'ever gunna join us?"

She shrugged, "Maybe…after thes chapter…"

Looking over, he could see she had just started the chapter she spoke of. He heaved a sigh and stood, "After dat chapter er I'm gunna trow yah en!" He laughed as he walked off and jumped back into the pool.

Kareen sighed and read on.

The end of the chapter was drawing near. Looking around, she noted people had indeed left. There were about ten less people than when they arrived. With a nod, she finished off the chapter. Putting her purple ribbon in place, she placed the book back into the bag she had brought with. Kareen stood and looked about as she grabbed the skirt of her sundress and pulled it up.

In the pool, Murphy nodded over his brother's shoulder. The group of guys watched as she pulled up the dress. Some had smirks on their face. With a body like that, they could only pray she wore an itty, bitty, yellow polka dot bikini. Connor was watching as she pulled up the dress. He held his breath in anticipation. What was she wearing? They hadn't even gotten a hint of what she was wearing due to the pale blue garment.

They frowned in disappointment.

Kareen set the dress aside. It had been hiding a deep purple one-piece bathing suit with a modest neckline and a dip in the back that reached the small of her back. If the suit wasn't modest enough, she was wearing a pair of finger-tip length cotton shorts that covered the top half of her thighs. Noticing eyes on her, she just gave the guys a small wave as she walked over to the diving board.

The men watched her, curious as to what she would do.

Connor was watching her. Even in the covering and modest swimwear, she was gorgeous. He could see her tapered waist and slender shape of her legs. So it was a sexy bikini, but that didn't mean he didn't find her sexy. Sexy? Hmm…No…To him she wasn't sexy. She wasn't a scantily clad woman like half of the others at the pool. She was beautiful because she wasn't trying to be.

Kareen stepped up onto the board and walked easily to the end. Turning around and standing with only the balls of her feet on the board, she held her arms out to the side. Swinging them in, then up, and with a bend of her knees, she leapt backwards off the board and dove into the cool water. It was neither hot nor cold, but cool in comparison to the heat of the sun. When she surfaced, she swam across the deep-end to the rope dividing the pool. Dunking under, she swam into the shallow-end and lay prostrate on the surface of the water. Her hair billowed out around her head in a cloud of molten chocolate. With a content sigh she floated on her back in the water, stroking occasionally to reposition herself. She was content with laying there.

Murphy nudged Connor as they watched her float. The two grinned wickedly at each other as the same thought passed through their minds. Quietly, they swam over to where Kareen was floating on the tiny swells caused by swimmers and jumpers. Snickering quietly, they each stood on one side. The floating woman disregarded the laughter as people playing in the pool. Little did she know…

Suddenly Kareen was in the air held aloft by the two men.

"One! Two!"

"Put! Me! Do—"

"THREE!"

Kareen screamed as she was launched through the air, "HOLY SHIT!"

The brothers gaped, then burst into laughter so immense it brought tears to their eyes. She had cursed! The sweet and quiet Kareen had cursed!

Despite laughing herself, the lifeguard whistled at the men, "If you're gunna toss someone, they need to know!"

The brothers nodded and waved at the woman in silent agreement.

Kareen resurfaced and set the boys with a glare. She couldn't possibly be mad for too long, however, when she noticed their shared mirth. Instead, she felt something bubbling within her that became a happy laugh of its own. Swimming over to the boys with a light glowing in her eyes, she asked, "Cin ye do et agin?"

Connor smiled at her. She was like a hard-boiled egg. They had cracked the surface and simply had to keep working until the shell fell away. He beckoned her and dipped down, "Get on me shoulders."

Carefully, Kareen set her feet where she was told.

And she flew!

Connor stood up so fast it shot her into the air and across the short distance into the deep-end.

She squealed with delight when she resurfaced.

Murphy high-fived his brother with a big smile on his face.

Swimming over, Kareen smiled at the guys. Not her usual demure smile, but a real smile. She smiled a smile that showed nearly every tooth and touched her eyes that were squinted. It was a smile she rarely smiled.

The day continued with launching of people, jumping off the boards, and flat-out horseplay.

At five the lifeguards blew their whistles. It was time for what the pool called their Lifeguard Swim, a time where the lifeguards went on break and could swim around the pool while the pool-goers took a break from the water.

Kareen laid out on her chosen chair belly-down. Resting her chin on her folded arms, she gave the guys a little smile, "Ye know, I'm actually havin' more fun den I tought I would." The smile, though small, touched her eyes with her honesty. She really had never had so much fun swimming before. Usually she would sit on the side reading or just floating lazily.

Murphy smiled, "Well et's a good ting too! Ye work too much, ye know dat? Every single night ye work, an' whah do ye do durin' de day? Ye read! Et was high time ye got out a bit!"

She laughed at his remark, but she saw the truth in it. Perhaps…perhaps she did read too much…or worked too much…She did need to get out more. Sitting up, she reached into her bag and pulled out the sunscreen she had applied liberally throughout the day. Burning was not on her priority list. After drying off and applying some to her arms and legs, she turned to Connor. Suddenly, the memory blazed through her mind of when he had been staring at her. She wondered again _Would he flirt with me? Would I flirt back? Perhaps…_She took the chance and held it out to him, "Do ye tink ye cin get me back fer me?" A smile played on her lips.

Slightly shocked, but accepting, Connor took the bottle and sat behind her on the chair. He glanced over at Murphy as she pulled her long hair over her shoulder.

His brother wiggled his brows suggestively and smirked.

Giving Murphy his best fuck-off-ye-twit face, he squirted a glob of lotion into his hand and started rubbing it into her skin.

Kareen was blushing fiercely. She was certain he didn't know how nice his hands felt on her back. _Is he rubbing with particular care? Or just rubbing? And why does it feel so God damn good! _Shaking her head and ridding herself of the thoughts, she turned and smiled at him when he finished. "Tank ye."

The whistle blew. People could get back in the water.

Connor practically jumped off the seat as he stood, "No problem. Now c'mon, let's get back en!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

She smiled, but suddenly saw the trickery play in his eyes. Fear passed over her face, "Don't ye dare!"

Too late!

Connor swept her off her feet and carried her bridal style to the side of the pool.

"Connor! Put me down! Connor, no!"

"Connor ain't here at de moment, but he'll gladly take a message!" He threw her into the pool.

Kareen gave a scream of both fear and delight as he did.

When she surfaced, Connor was laughing. He hopped into the pool beside her.

She glared and splashed him, "Asshole!"

He smirked and splashed her back.

That's how it started.

Soon a gender based splash fight began that the lifeguards couldn't keep in check. Women Kareen didn't even know jumped to help her as more guys joined Connor. War descended upon the pool as everyone splashed everyone else. Joyous laughter and triumphant shouts reigned free over the area.

The lifeguards finally blew the whistle when it was time for everyone to get out because the pool was closing. With unhappy groans and many frowns, the patrons gathered their things and heading back into the apartment building.

The twins and the pretty brunette piled into the car and drove back to McGinty's.

Kareen didn't work. Instead she went behind the bar, kissed her uncle, and told him she was going to shower and go right to bed. She was exhausted. Funny…she had never been so tired after a visit to the pool before.

When Doc watched her go up the stairs with half-dry hair clinging to her sundress and soaking it, he noticed something. She said she was going to shower then go right to bed! She always said _"I'm gunna shower, read a bet, den hit de hay." _She wasn't gunna read? Turning to the brothers he beamed a happy smile when they each gave him a thumbs-up. They had succeeded at some particular task at the pool. When they told him what the task was, he was even more delighted and demanded they tell him about the day.

Happy as a clam Doc told the boys to watch the bar for a minute while he went to check on his niece. Heading upstairs, he heard her in her bedroom. Peeking in through the crack of the door, he watched as she climbed into bed and turned her lamp off. She really wasn't going to read! Doc hobbled back downstairs, thanking God for whatever magic the boys had worked on his niece.

Kareen lay in bed, looking at the clock on her nightstand it was much too early for bed, but she was tired and wanted to think about the day she'd had. She couldn't possibly read. If she read anything she wouldn't be able to think about the day. It was a glorious day. A perfect day. Closing her eyes, she thought about every moment. She fell asleep smiling as swearing to herself she could still feel Connor's arms around her when he went to toss her in and his hands on her back, rubbing in the lotion.


	5. Sexy, but Not Slutty

**A/N Do you ever have a dream that leads to a new story or chapter? I find it happens often with me…perhaps it's because I think about stories before I go to bed and my dreams just branch out on it. Anyway, this is the product of another dream.**

**Chapter Five: Sexy, but Not Slutty**

Kareen was sitting on the bar with her legs crossed and a book in hand. Doc was standing behind the counter wiping clean glasses of any water spots or streaks. A week had gone by since the glorious day at the pool. The old man had noticed a change in his niece, albeit small, there was a change. She read a bit less. For a week she hadn't had a book in her had when business was slow and she didn't read before bed unless she couldn't sleep. What he was really proud of was that the waitresses, who were all friends, had invited her on an outing of some kind and Kareen accepted. He knew the two blondes and the red-head would be good for her. He had told her she needed to get out more and this was her getting out. How proud he was. She really seemed to be making progress. Doc knew she would never fully turn away from her books, and he didn't intend on that happening, what he did know was that she would at least be more willing to set aside a book to be with people.

Their heads turned to the door when it opened. Two blondes, one with hair just past her shoulders and the other with a pixie cut, and a red-head with curly locks that reached her shoulder blades, walked into the pub. They were chatting amiably with smiles on their faces.

Pixie Cut beamed a smile at the brunette sitting on the bar, "Ready to go, Kareen?"

With a smile, the questioned woman reached over the bar to grab her purse and hopped off the counter, "Ready if you are, Jan."

Jan, or Janet as her birth certificate says, smiled happily and slung a friendly arm across Kareen's shoulder.

Red turned and smiled at Doc, "We'll be back by three when we open."

"D-Don't rush, girls. Have fun."

The four girls walked out of the place laughing as they heard a very distinct _FUCK! ASS!_

Kareen smiled at the girls. She had been working with them for nearly two months and this was the first time the four of them had gone anywhere together. It was nice…Looking at the red head, she asked, "So where're we goin', Ally?"

The fiery locked woman shrugged, "Ask Dory." There was a wicked grin on her face.

Dory, short for Dorothy, smiled and ran a hand through her medium-long hair, "We, Kareen, are going to the mall. Ever go shopping?"

"Only fer books."

The three woman laughed at her comment.

Janet smiled, eyes twinkling, "Well today you're shoppin' for clothes!"

"What's wrong wit' whah I wear?"

Ally gave her a side-hug, "Nothin', nothin' at all, we just wanna see if you look as good in other clothes as you do in your perpetual collared shirts and peasant skirts."

"Yeah! Maybe somethin' really cute will get Connor's attention…" Dory winked at the brunette.

Kareen's jaw hit the floor, "Whah're yew on about?" Connor's attention? Did they know she sort of liked him?

Ally smirked and chuckled sweetly, "Oh, please! We aren't blind. When it comes to the pub, we are the only ones who don't touch a drink most of the night. We see things." She gave Kareen a little wink. "He looks at you a lot. What'd you think, Jan, think Connor's got the hots for pretty little Kareen?"

Janet smirked fiercely as they walked down the streets, "I don't doubt it."

Kareen was blushing furiously.

The red didn't go unnoticed by Dory. She smirked, "You like him, don't you?"

"No…"

"Don't lie, Kareen!"

The brunette looked at the ground she was walking on and blew a lock of hair out of her face. Heaving a sigh, she said, "Alright fine…I like 'im…"

The three girls smiled wickedly.

Janet nodded, "Then today you are buying something for work tonight that will make him sit up and beg!"

Ally giggled, "Something sexy, but not slutty…"

"Something that shows skin, but is still modest."

The four women walked on until they came to the large building containing many stores within. Kareen looked up at it. She had never really been in the mall before. Granted, she had walked into its massive bookstore to find some new reading material, but she had never gone beyond the safety of the books and venture into the bustling mall. When they walked in, her breath was stolen away from her. There were signs with arrows pointing down the large walk-ways to where stores and 'big sales!' were. There were small kiosks selling something of everything; belts, bags, lotions, skin care, hair care, and anything else the mind would imagine. She walked with the three women, using them as her guide. The place was much bigger than she expected.

Ally smiled at Kareen, "Alright. First things first, we'll find you a nice top or two, then find matching bottoms, shoes will follow, then perhaps makeup."

"No…Not makeup."

Kareen raised a brow.

Janet smiled, "She doesn't need makeup. Mascara would make her lashes too dark and too thick, and when she went to the pool she got some sun so she's got a sort of sun-kissed look to her cheeks right now."

The three looked at Kareen and she felt a little awkward under their gazes.

Ally nodded, "Jan's right. No makeup."

"What color do you think looks best on you, Kareen?"

The brunette thought a moment and shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe blue er purple."

"Purple! It'll help your eyes stand out all the more!"

She didn't stand a chance. With Dory on one side and Jan on the other, Kareen was pulled through the mall with Ally in the lead. She was having fun though. It was a rush to be pulled from shop to shop trying on tops and bottoms and shoes. She felt like a real _girl_. It was nice. She laughed with the girls and giggled when they either applauded a top or suddenly screeched with their stupidity at even having her put it on. She joined in the laughter when Dory, Jan, or Ally tried something on. It was fun. They made her laugh happily just to be around them.

The women were sitting in a shoe store looking at the shelf of shoes before them.

"They need to be cute…"

"But sensible."

"Nothing to high or your feet will kill you by the end of the night."

"Yeah, and you have to be able to walk in them."

Kareen was looking at the shelf. She usually wore tennis shoes or ankle-high boots when she worked. Comfort over style, that was Kareen. A small smile spread over her face when she grabbed a pair of three-inch strappy black heels.

Ally looked at them, then turned to Janet who looked them over, then turned to Dory. The last one looked over the shoes, then nodded with a big smile, "Try them on."

Kareen smiled. Sitting on the little bench, she took off her low-heeled sandals and pulled the heels from their box. Slipping them on, she stood. She wasn't really one for heels, but on the few occasions she had to wear them she could walk well enough. With her head up, she walked up and down the aisle a couple times. Sitting down and taking them off, she smiled at the girls, "These are good."

"Not to mention adorable."

A little smirk spread over Dory's face, "And closer to Connor's height."

Kareen blushed furiously at her comment.

The girls laughed as she purchased the shoes.

Checking her watch, Janet said they needed to head back and get to work. It was nearly three. They would probably be a little late as it was. Smiling, the girls carried bags out of the mall and hailed a taxi. They had no issue walking to the mall, but they didn't feel like walking back to the pub laden with bags. When the taxi let them out, the girls all headed upstairs to the apartment. First, Kareen needed to change into her one of her new outfits. Second, the girls needed a place to keep their stuff.

As the two blondes and the red head walked out, the wished her luck and told her they would be downstairs waiting.

Kareen smiled as they left. She never knew going out like that could be so much fun! Turning on her heel she headed into her bedroom and picked up her bags. Emptying their contents onto the bed, she looked over the three possible combinations of everything. _This top…those pants…No…That top, these pants! Or perhaps that skirt…Oooh…I like that! Hmm…but a skirt? No. I'll save the skirt for something else. These pants are a definite, and that top looks great with them. Yes! Got it! _She quickly disrobed and grabbed the new garments. She headed for the shower. After a quick shower she off the tags on the clothes and she got dressed. She looked in the mirror with a smile. She looked different…she felt different…Once she was done blow-drying her hair she grabbed a brush and she ran it through her hair until the chocolate locks hair gleamed in the light. Parting it down the side instead of the middle, she tilted her head. She looked good. With a smile, she slipped on her new shoes and headed downstairs after a tiny spray of her favorite pomegranate perfume. Like it mattered. An hour in the bar and she'd just smell like alcohol.

When she entered the pub, Ally, Jan, and Dory all smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. It was early, only about four, but the boys would be there in a few hours. The three waitresses shared whispers when they passed or when they didn't have patrons beckoning them. They knew, oh they knew, that tonight would make a difference.

Janet was glad to see the demure Kareen branching out…but she was a little jealous. She had always liked the boys, but never had the guts to try and talk to them. She sighed, _She's the bartender, though, and the boys always sit at the bar…_Shaking her head and jealous away, she returned to her task.

The four women were waiting. Anticipation hung on electric currents in the air.

Seven o'clock rolled around.

Kareen took her break. Getting a glass of lemonade, she walked into the little employee break room in the back. She sat there for her break reading a book she kept there. It was a short book and not a very exciting one. She kept it there just for entertainment and to help the time passed. When her lemonade was gone and the twenty designated minutes were up, Kareen stood and headed back out and into the pub. She stopped and stood there by the door for a minute.

They were there…

Connor and Murphy were sitting in their usual seats at the counter. As always, they were in their usual dark colored tee shirts. Dory made a point to walk behind them when she saw Kareen come back from her break. With a smile, the blonde pointed to the two of them and mouthed _They're here!_ before returning to her job.

Taking in a deep breath, Kareen walked behind the bar and right up to the boys, "Evenin' boys. Whah cin I getcha?"

The twins looked at her, mouths slightly agape. It took them a few moments to realize that the woman before them was Kareen. Where was her usual collared shirt? That certainly wasn't it! They looked her over. She was dressed in a tank top of a deep, berry purple that had a plunging neckline that showed a short line of cleavage. It was fitted to her shape, but still covered what it needed to cover. When they were finally able to ask for a drink, she turned to get two glasses off a shelf behind the bar. They booth looked at her bum, unabashed at doing so. Her jeans weren't the hip-hugging, but loose ones she usually wore. No. These jeans were fitted to her hips, rump, and thighs. At the knees, the jeans started to flare out. Leaning forward, the boys could see the strappy heels on her feet. Like shoes mattered to them…They sat back when she turned and set their drinks before them. She was even wearing her hair different. She smiled a pretty smile and told them to enjoy before walking off to other patrons asking for drinks.

Murphy looked at his brother. Connor was staring at Kareen. The blue-eyed man raised a brow and nudged his brother, "Whatcha lookin' at?"

Connor gave him a shove when his attention was finally pulled from the woman, "Aw shut et!"

"She's fuckin' hot."

"Oh aye."

Murphy looked at Doc, who was assisting some nice gentlemen further down the bar. He wondered… "Ye tink Doc es still on about dat whole 'no flirtin'' bit?"

Hazel eyes were set on the man, "Why?"

"Oh, just wonderin'…"

"I'm sure he es…" Connor turned to look at Kareen again. Tonight she wasn't shy. She smiled a happy smile at everyone, chatted with customers joyfully, and had a new bounce in her step. He turned to Doc who had walked up, "Whah's up wit' her?"

Doc smiled, "D-D-De girls, Ally, Jan, and D-Dory to-ook her out today. Dey w-w-went ta da mall." He looked at his niece with an approving eye. He could tell she had had a very good day.

"Hey Doc, ye still on about dat whole ting dat we can't flirt wit' her?" Murphy asked with a devious smirk.

The old man turned an eye on the boys, but softened and laughed, "Ah fuck et! She'll just re-re-reject ye!"

The brothers both looked hurt.

"Aw c'mon Doc!"

"Thah's hurtful, thah es!"

The old man laughed and hobbled off to other customers.

At her end of the bar, Kareen kept glancing down to where the boys sat. She had noticed Connor staring at her and practically wiggled with delight. Keeping herself busy away from the boys, she waited until she saw Murphy get up to take a piss. With a deep breath, she walked back down to where Connor sat. She gave him a smile, "So how was yer day? Sorry, does guys kept me busy." She nodded to the group of men at the other end of the bar. Most of them were staring at the woman. It seemed her new outfit was getting more than just the attention from the man it was aimed at.

He gave her a smile, "Oh, not bat, not bad. Borin' as fuck. Work was a piece o' shet as always." He brought his drink to his lips

Kareen smiled at him and leaned on the bar like she always did. What she didn't realize was that in her low-cut tank top leaning like that showed more cleavage than she realized, "Poor baby."

The man finished his drink and tried his best not to stare down her top.

Without missing a beat Kareen refilled his glass. She set her chin in the palm of her hand after tucking her hair behind an ear.

He looked her over again while taking a drink. Setting it down, he nodded to her, "Ye look…good…" He had tried to think of a better word, but couldn't without thinking it might insult her.

Kareen smiled, "De girls took me ta de mall. Et was fun."

He chuckled, "Ye've got more guts den I do. I won't go near a mall an' ye can't make me." He shook his head with a smile.

She just gave him a smile.

Connor looked at her. He thought about her. Kareen was pretty, yes, but she was beautiful from the outside in. Her face was lovely, she had a well-shaped body, but it was the way her eyes glittered when she smiled at him that made him wonder…_What if_…He looked at her, "Hey Kareen?"

"Yeah?" She quickly stepped to the side and gave someone a beer. Returning she smiled at him.

_C'mon Connor, do it. Be a man! Grab a hold of yer balls and do it! _

Just then, Murphy returned, "Hey guys! Whah're we talkin' 'bout?"

Connor took a drink. "Nothin'." He stopped looking at Kareen.

Kareen frowned, disappointed. _What was he gunna say? Damn it Murph…Couldn't you have waited a few more minutes?_

_ What was he gunna to say?_

**A/N Chapter five done! What was Connor going to say? What do you think? Review and tell me what you think!**


	6. Explanation

**A/N With nothing to do I feel I can knock out a few chapters today. Thanks to angelfishlex who was the first person to review this story. You're a doll!**

**Chapter Six: Explanation**

** Two Weeks Later**

Kareen was laying on her bed and in a mood. The book in front of her held no joy. The witty author could not bring a smile to her face. She was brooding. Anger was a river coursing through her body and the _S.S. Sadness_ was a little boat cruising down the speeding river. It took everything in her not to burst into tears. Every time she felt tears coming, she would just think and anger would take the place of sadness…but then tears of fury would sting her eyes. Finally, unable to resist, she flung the book aside and sat up. Never had she treated a book with such disdain. Curling her knees to her chest, she set her forehead down and let herself cry. _How could he! How could that…that…that bastard do this! _Tears coursed down her face and left circular wet spots on her light blue skirt. Her entire body shook with the silent tears. Kareen was never a noisy crier. No. She was quiet and kept the keening moans in her own head.

Doc stood at her door. He could hear the quiet sniffles and occasional sputtering cough of someone crying their eyes out. Opening the door a bit, he saw Kareen sitting on the middle of her bed with her knees up and head down. Her shoulders were shaking with the tears she was shedding. He didn't know what to do. Instead of trying to help, he just hobbled away from her door and down into the bar. It was two and they would be opening soon…should he tell Kareen to come down and help? Or just let her stay in her room? He didn't know what to do. Doc had never had children and even if he did, he would have no clue how to deal with a crying woman. He wanted to comfort her…but he just didn't know how…Sighing, he picked up a damp cloth and little bucket of clean water and went to wipe the tables. After that, he grabbed the broom and set to sweeping.

Dory and Jan walked in the side entrance, laughing and chatting as always. They smiled at the old man and said, "Afternoon, Doc," simultaneously.

Jan looked around. Usually Kareen was helping him get the pub ready before customers arrived, "Where's Kareen?"

"Ehh…She's not feelin' w-w-well today, lass. I'm lettin' 'er sl-sl-sl- fuck et, I'm lettin' 'er rest…"

Dory frowned, "Poor dear." She picked up a second broom and helped Doc finished the floor.

There was a knock on the door.

Jan called out, "We ain't open yet!"

"C'mon Jan! Et's us! Let us en!"

With a chuckle, the blonde walked over and let the twin brothers into the bar. McGinty's was always open for the brothers MacManus.

The hazel-eyed twin looked around and frowned, "Where's Kareen?"

Dory lifted her head up from behind the bar, "Doc says she ain't feelin' well. She's takin' the night off, I guess."

The man looked at Doc, who just nodded, "Yep, dat's et."

The twins looked at each other and a word passed through their minds; _Bullshit._

"She upstairs, den?"

Doc's head snapped up, "N-Now don't ye go an' up-upset 'er. Let de girl be." He gave a sigh, "She don't usually get sick _Fuck! Ass! _an' she don't like et much…"

Murphy stared at the old man. He didn't believe a word of it. Kareen wasn't sick. They knew she couldn't be. Not to be mean but she never did anything that would make her sick. She didn't stay out in the rain, she didn't eat weird foods, and she never pushed her limits. How could such a straight-laced girl get sick?

Connor was thinking the same thing. He squared his shoulders and his jaw, "I'm gunna go make sure she's alright. I'll see ef she wants anyting."

There was nothing Doc could say, because Connor was already heading towards the stairs. The man sighed and looked at the only other man in the room, "Yer brother's in-in-incor-incor…ye can't tell 'im nothin'."

Murphy snorted with a smirk, "Ye just now noticin' thah, Doc?"

"Fuck off."

The dark brunette laughed and sat down on his favorite barstool.

**Upstairs…**

Connor walked into the apartment. Nothing seemed out of place. Everything was clean as usual. Heading down the small hallway, he stopped at Kareen's door. He peeked in through the little crack. Her bed was set with the head against the wall to the right of the one with the door. She was laying down with her back to the door and curled around a pillow. He could tell she wasn't sleeping, not yet at least. Her shoulders shook with some strong emotion that refused to let her slip off into a probably much needed slumber. Taking a breath, he knocked quietly on the door, "Kareen?"

Her head popped up for a second, before settling back down, "Go away, Connor…"

"How'd yah know et was me?"

"I just did! Now go away!"

That ruffled his feathers. Since when was she so mean? Or was she just that upset about something? He squared up, "I'm not goin' 'til yah tell me whah's wrong."

She sat up and looked at him through the crack.

Connor could tell she had been crying, and crying hard at that. Her usually beautiful green eyes were red and puffy, her nose reminded him of Rudolph, though he would never tell her that, and tear streaks stained her face. Without waiting for an invite, he stepped into her room and sat on the edge of the bed. He fixed her with a gentle, yet stern gaze, "Whah's wrong?"

She looked out the little window and bit her lip. She didn't really want to talk about it, but she knew he wouldn't let her be until she did. Sighing, she wiped a fresh tear away. She was surprised she could even cry at that point. After taking a shaking breath, she looked at him, "I got a call from my Ma today…A few hours ago…"

"Yeah? What happened? Someone didn't…pass away…did they?"

Shaking her head, she wiped another tear away. Again she curled her legs up to her chest, but this time she set her chin on a knee so she could look at him, "No…No one died…It's de opposite, really…"

"I don't understand, Kareen…"

"Me best…ex best friend es knocked up."

"Ex?"

"Well what else am I supposed ta consider da bitch dat was sleepin' wit' my man?"

That was new information. Connor never knew Kareen had a boyfriend. He actually felt like crap because of the few times he'd flirted with her. Or was she single? Was he an ex-boyfriend? "Whaddya mean?"

Kareen heaved a big sigh and told her tale, "I gotta start from de beginnin' or et doesn't make sense…Or et does…I dunno…"

"Just start from de beginnin'."

"Alright…I started workin' at me great-grandda's pub back home when I was nineteen. Dat's de year I met Kian…He was a few years older den me. Well, we hit et off and dated fer a bit. Nine months ago he ended et, just cut et off. He never told me why, but I never asked. I accepted et, sayin' ta myself 'e had his reasons." She sniffed and wiped a tear away, "Ma called today ta tell me Kian an' my so-called best friend Ellen are gettin' married…"

"I don't wanna seem mean…but why es dat a bad ting?"

The look she gave him could have melted the skin off his face.

"Et's a bad ting 'cause 'e announced ta de whole pub dat on deir one year anniversary, 'e is askin' 'er ta be his wife!"

She let him think it over.

Realization fell upon him. _One year anniversary…but he broke up with Kareen nine months ago. He was cheating on her!_

Tears came fresh to her eyes, "An' Ellen es pregnant! I tought she was me best friend! No! She es why Kian ended et wit' me! We had been togeder fer almost two years!" She laid back down and buried her face into the pillow. She kept crying and screaming something, but the pillow distorted her words.

Connor thought he heard something about 'the one' and 'that asshole.' He was sure there was some other very…colorful…language in there as well. Not exactly sure on what to do next, he simply reached out a hand and placed it on her back.

For just a moment, she tensed, then relaxed under the simply gesture.

Growing more confident, he leaned forward and grabbed her hand. Pulling her back into a sitting position, he pulled her to him.

The kindness he was showing her was too much. Kareen was used to brash, boisterous, fowl-mouthed Connor, not this sweetheart who was holding her. Fresh tears welled in her eyes and she buried her face in his chest. It wasn't long before the fabric was soaked through with tears. They were a mixture of tears of joy and of sorrow. She was happy because here was someone who was holding her when she was at her worst, and sorrowful because of the backstabbing bitch she once called her best friend. Pulling away, she wiped her tears, "I-I-I'm sorry."

He smirked at her little stutter, "Oh! There's how yer related ta Doc! I was beginnin' ta tink et was a sham!"

Despite her tears, Kareen laughed a little. It felt nice to laugh…She looked up at him, "Dat's why I came 'ere…I couldn't bear ta see Kian an' Ellen together…At first I let et go, yah know? I didn't care…but she sorta flaunted it. Said the sex was great an' dat she was the happiest she'd ever been…"

"Ef she flaunted et, how come ye didn't know he was playin' a line?"

She sighed and, unconsciously, leaned against him, "Dey didn't go public until tree monts after we split…I had no clue…"

Connor put his arms around her then stood up. Planting her firmly on her feet, he stared into her sad eyes. Before they had looked like the green hills of his childhood home on a beautiful day. Now her eyes looked washed out as though the very hills had been under the cover of cloud and rain for days. They were still beautiful…but in a sad way. He gave her a small smile, "Now, Miss Kareen McGinty, don't yah tink thes bitch Ellen would be happy ta known yer bawlin' yer eyes out over whah she did?"

Thinking about it, she bit her lip and nodded, "Aye…She probably would…Ef I was dere she'd shove de ring en my face every chance she got…"

"Do ye wanna give her de satisfaction o' makin' ye cry?"

There it was.

Defiance flashed through her eyes.

"No."

"Den whatcha gunna do 'bout et?"

She squared her shoulders, "I'm gunna show dat _bitch _what fer an' not give a flyin' fuck!" She stepped around him and grabbed a towel and bathrobe. Turning back she said, "I'm gunna take a shower, get dressed, an' work. I ain't gunna cry over some ass like Kian O'Reilly!" Stomping out of the room she headed for the bathroom.

Connor smirked and watched her go. That's when his eye noticed the large bookshelf laden with more novels than he'd seen in anyone's bedroom. Walking over, he glimpsed some of the titles. Curiosity struck and he pulled one down. The girl on the front was in a gorgeous, old fashioned gown. Opening the cover, he read the opening sentence; _The year is 1783 and Elizabeth…_1783? He pulled another book down. It, too, had the year in the summary. _1603_. Another one. _1494. _He pulled book after book, being certain to put them back in their proper home, and looked for the year it was set in. _1899. 1503. 1816. 1206. 1862. 1189. 1376. _Without having to grab another book, he realized something. Just about every single book on the shelf was set between the eleven-hundreds to the eighteen-hundreds. There wasn't a single modern book on the shelf that he could find.

It clicked in his head just as the one-year-nine-months deal had earlier. _She walks like she's walking in a palace…There is always a deference in her behavior towards others…She is shy and soft-spoken and never raises her voice. Good God! She acts like some girl out of these books! She acts like she lives in those times! That's what it is! _

The door opened. Turning, he saw Kareen with a curious brow raised. She was standing in a fluffy white bathrobe with her hair wrapped up like a turban in a pale blue towel. She chuckled at him, "Feel free ta borrow any. I'd advise de Bloody Jack series, but et's en de perspective of a sixteen-year-old girl…so ye may not like et."

Connor just shook his head, "Just lookin'…I'll let yah get dressed."

As he walked out, she grabbed his hand, "Connor."

He stopped and looked at her with a brow raised, "Yeah?"

She just smiled softly, "Tanks."

With a smile, he gave a nod, "No problem." Leaving, he headed downstairs to tell Murphy what he had learned.

The blue-eyed brother was doubtful at first, but realized it must be true. He nodded, "Doc was right, et's de books…"

"Yeah…" Suddenly, he realized something. He was attracted to Kareen, that was obvious…but would he be attracted to her if she was the quiet, demure woman they had met at first? Or is the egg inside the shell just as quiet? He had heard her curse, especially just then in her room. Was that the extent of the difference? _And she loves her books…What kinda person would try and get her to put them down? It's a passion, right? _He sat down at the bar with his brother and a drink suddenly appeared before him. When he looked up, he was looking into the smiling green eyes that had just been riddled with tears. Right then and there he told himself he, personally, would stop striving to make her put the books down. If she put them down, then so be it, but he was done trying to make her. He didn't care if she ever changed or if she stayed like she was for the rest of her life. She was just fine as she was. Now if only…

**A/N Kinda in a bouncy mood right now. Hope you guys liked this chapter :-) It's the shortest one yet O.o wow…**


	7. What Do They Got?

**A/N For some reason I have "You've got a friend in me" from Toy Story going through my mind. No clue why, I just do. Hahaha. Anyway! Here's we go with chapter seven. Hope y'all like it!**

**Chapter Seven: What Do They Got That I Ain't Got! Courage!**

Connor and Murphy walked into their dumpy loft after their night at McGinty's. The tanner twin had informed his other half of why Kareen had been "sick" and that he was personally disgusted a guy could do that. Honestly, what kind of guy would leave Kareen? Was she not pretty enough? Unlikely! Was she not kind enough? Bullshit! How could someone leave her? What reasons could the man possible have to justify leaving such a great woman? None in his book. With a heavy sigh he kicked off his boots and plopped down on the dingy old couch. Pulling the pack out of his pocket, he set a cigarette between his lips. He lit up and blew out the first cloud of smoke with thoughts of Kareen, teary eyed, weighing heavily on his mind. It hurt to picture her so sad…

"Dude…Whah're ye thinkin' about?"  
>He looked up to see Murphy staring at him with a completely confused look on his face. "Uh…Nothin'…"<p>

Murphy smirked, "Yer thinkin' about Kareen, aren't yah?"

"No." His answer hissed through the air like a poison dart.

Blue eyes glittered as the man laughed, "Yes, y'are! Yer thinkin' about Kareen!"

"Fuck yew, no I'm not!"

"Oh don't fuckin' lie ta me, Connor, ye know yah can't!"

The man grumbled and leaned back in the couch. Moodily, he crossed his arms. "Fuck off, Murph…"  
>With a laugh, the other twin plopped down next to his brother and threw an arm about his shoulders, "So tell me, my dear brother, whah 'bout Kareen were yah thinkin' 'bout?" He gave his brother a big, playful grin.<p>

Connor looked away, "Nothin'…"

"_Liiiiar_…."

"Would ye just shut et!"

Murphy smirked. Oh this was gunna be fun! He nudged his brother, "C'mon! Out wit' et!"

Grumbling, the man answered, "Fine! Damnit…I was thinkin' about thes Kian fella…What kinda guy would dump Kareen fer someone else?" He set his jaw, "Pisses me off. Yew didn't see 'er! Yew didn't see how bad et hurt!"

"Aww yah like her!"

He shoved his brother, "Fuck off, man."

"Yah do! Yah like Kareen! Admit et!"

"Fine! Fine!" He stood. "I fuckin' like 'er! An' not just 'cause she's hot!"

Murphy smirked, "Hallelujah, brother! So whah're yah gunna do about et?"

Connor shook his head, "Nothin'…"

"Pussy."

Hazel eyes locked with blue eyes. Before either of them realized it they were rolling on the floor kicking and hitting and using some rather foul language towards on another. The "fight" raged on until they both were just laying there, looking up at the ceiling of the grungy loft, breathing heavily and occasionally slapping an arm or the chest of the other.

Murphy smirked, "So yer really not gunna do anythin' about et?"

"Really? Can't ye just let et go?"

"No, actually, I can't."

Connor heaved a heavy sigh and stared at a water spot on the ceiling. "No…I'm not gunna do anythin' about et…I don't think now es de time what wit' de shet about Kian an' all…"

"Yer a fuckin' pussy, man." He stood and walked into the second room where their two mattresses were sitting on the floor. Plopping himself down on one, the blue-eyed brother started getting ready for bed. It was almost three in the morning. He threw his shirt at Connor when his brother walked in. "Ye should ask her out, man. Ye never know man."

The man just sneered and dropped onto the bed, not caring about removing his jeans. Grumbling quietly to himself, he tried to convince himself whether or not asking Kareen would be appropriate or not. _Well I know she's single…but this shit with Kian probably puts men in a bad light for her. However…I think she likes me, too. Does she like me? I wonder…_His brow knitted together. _The fuck man! What am I? In high school or some shit? It's not like I'm askin' the homecoming queen to prom! She would've been homecoming queen…Pretty enough…The hell man! _He ran a hand over his face and frowned at himself. What was he? Fifteen or something! Closing his eyes, he willed himself to sleep and to not think about the brunette anymore.

**The Following Night**

The brothers sat at the bar in McGinty's like they did almost every night. Even if they didn't drink, they still went to chat with friends, laugh with Doc, and, for one brother in particular, see Kareen. They each had a beer sitting before them. Murphy was busy joking with some of the guys to his right. To his left sat Connor. The man was staring into the liquid before him. Occasionally he would look down the bar. Kareen was standing in front of a group of guys that were there almost as much at the brothers were. They were laughing and she was smiling. He could hear one of the guys ask her out…again. The man always asked her out. Once, every single night he was there, he would ask her out on a date. This of course was just met with a pretty smile and a shaking "no" of the head.

He grimaced and took a swig of his beer. Turning to his brother he asked, "What de fuck does dat guy got dat I ain't got?" He looked down the bar to the man who constantly asked Kareen out. How was he able to ask willy nilly while Connor had tried once, but chickened out?

Murphy looked at him, rather confused, "De fuck are ye talkin' about?"

"He asks 'er out every fuckin' night."

The man chuckled, "Balls, man. 'e's got balls." He nudged his brother, "Dude, ask 'er out! Ye scared she'll say no?"

"No…" _Yes…_

Murphy rolled his eyes and turned back to the guys on his right.

Connor looked back down the bar to where Kareen was chatting with the men. They had known her all of about two months or so and she had changed. She was more talkative. Now, she still walked and stood with a posture that probably would never break, but she smiled more, laughed more, and talked more. Thinking about it, he realized this was the Kareen he liked most. The quiet one always seemed just a bit too nice. This talkative, exuberant woman was much more to his liking. A small smirk came to his face. _My liking...Now if only I had, as Murph said, the balls to ask her out…_He looked down the bar. Confidence bloomed within him. _Fuck it! I'm gunna ask her! _ Nodding at his decision, he downed the rest of his drink. With an empty glass, the pretty bartender would be over in no time to refill the glass. All he had to do was wait.

Kareen laughed at the men in front of her. She had just turned down the man and now his friends were vying for her attention.

"C'mon Kareen, one little date?"

"How about just one little kiss?"

"A hug! I'll settle for a friggin' hug!"

She laughed and just shook her head at the men. She was no light-skirt. There were no free-kisses when it came to Kareen McGinty. With a smile in place, she just shook her head at the men. Looking down the bar, she checked glasses. _Full…Full…Half-empty…Full…Empty! _She looked at the man behind the glass and smiled. Excusing herself, Kareen walked down the bar and stood before Connor.

He gave her a smile, "Evenin'."

She smiled back and refilled his glass, "Evenin' Conn."

He looked at her. She wasn't wearing her usual collared shirt. Like she had a few weeks before, she was in a daring tank top that plunged low. This one was the same deep emerald color as her eyes. She had matched it with a pair of dark-wash hip-huggers. Her hair was parted down the side, a new thing she had started. As he looked at her, he couldn't help but adore how her eyes danced when she smiled. _God she's gorgeous…_Doubt crossed his mind. Like any man talking to a beautiful woman, he doubted she would agree to even share a drink with him. Pretty girls were always the hardest to get with…but…Kareen wasn't like most pretty girls. She didn't flaunt her beauty knowingly. He doubted she even knew how many men stared at her half the time.

Kareen just smiled back at Connor. She had become more accustomed to his staring. Now she just accepted it. Sometimes she wondered why he stared at her like that. What was he thinking about when he stared at her like that? Half the time she wondered if he was being a perv about it…then she doubted Connor would do that. He didn't seem the type. Murphy did sometimes…but that was Murphy.

"Hey Kareen?"

She topped off a man's drink and turned back to him, "Yeah?" Her thoughts went back to the day she had gone to the mall with her coworkers. _What was he going to say? _Then, a smile came to her lips. _Is he gunna say it now?_

"I…Uh…"

She looked at him. Suddenly her heart was pounding in her chest. She felt like she needed to hold her chest to keep her heart from pounding right out of her. "Yeah?"

Chicken shit. "Never mind…."

Like a piano from the fifteenth floor her heart crashed. She frowned at him and returned to her job. However, she had something in mind. He was a coward. He couldn't talk to someone? Let alone someone who was his friend? He couldn't say or ask something? After placing three glasses and a bottle of scotch on a tray, she handed it off to Dory with determination in her mind. Walking back to where the brothers sat, she placed fresh drinks before them and their friends. She then turned to Connor. Placing both hands on the counter and looking him in the eye, she said, "Y'ever read De Wonderful Wizard o' Oz? No? Ever see de movie?"

Connor, rather confused, just nodded. Who hadn't seen The Wizard of Oz?

She smiled in a rather mocking manner, "Good, den yah know who I'm talkin' about when I say de fuckin' lion 'as more courage den yew. " Giving him a smile that expressed her newfound ability to tell someone off, she walked off to the men at the other end of the bar.

The man stared straight ahead. He was surprised by her sudden outburst.

Murphy had a hand over his mouth. He nudged his brother, "Well, ef I were yew, I wouldn't take dat shet."

"Shut de fuck up, Murphy…"

"Oh, yer just gunna let dat slide? Y'ain't gunna go defend yerself? Ye gunna sit dere and pout?"

Connor's brows came together as he glared at his brother, "No!" _Maybe…_

"Chicken shit."

"Shut et…"

"Well go on den! Tell 'er!"

Standing from his stool, Connor nodded, "Yer right." Walking down the bar, he stood behind the group of men Kareen was serving. Clearing his throat, he called to her over the group of slightly drunken men, "'ey Kareen!"

Looking past the men, she gave him a _can-I-help-you? _look that dripped with disdain. She wasn't pleased. He had always been a manly sort of guy. Did he really get tongue tied over a girl? "Yes?"

He nodded to the side door, "Can I talk ta yah fer a minute?"

Smiling to the gentlemen sitting at the bar, she said, "Excuse me, boys, I'll be right back." She quickly got her uncle's attention and told him she was taking a quick break. Ten minutes tops. With that, she walked out from behind the bar and stepped out into the side alley beside McGinty's.

Connor followed behind her. His pride had been tweaked and his manhood had been questioned. There was no way he was walking back into the pub without either a 'yes' or 'no' answer from her. No fucking way.

The two stood there, staring at each other for a minute or two before Kareen asked, "Are ye gunna say anythin'? Or cin I get back ta work?" She crossed her arms. His cowardice has put her in a mood that stamped the word 'bitch' across her forehead in big, bold letters.

He stared at her hard. He didn't want to sound mean, but her attitude was starting to piss him off. "Look, I just wanted ta ask ye somethin'."

"Oh, den by all means ask…ef ye cin…"

His jaw clenched a moment. Must she continue to take shots at him like that? Staring at her, he did it, "I was gunna ask ef, maybe, ye wanted ta get dinner sometime er somethin'."

The change he saw was shocking. The bitchy attitude that played in her eyes gave way to a glimmer of joy. The sneer on her mouth turned into a happy little smirk. She practically glowed with pleasure.

"Es tomorrow night too soon?"

He was taken aback. "Whah?"

She smiled at him, "I'm not workin' tamorrow. Dere's thes little Italian place on Main I've seen a few times."

Shock was still on his face when he just nodded, "Uh…Yeah. Sounds good. Tomorrow night, den?"

"How's seven sound?"

His lips twitched in a small smile, "Seven sounds perfect."

Kareen beamed a happy smile at him. Standing on her toes for just a second, she gave his cheek the lightest of kisses, "See yah den." With that she walked back into the pub and went right back to work with a happy smile and a bounce to her step.

Connor stood there for a few minutes because walking back in and sitting in his seat.

Murphy smirked, "She looks mighty pleased an' ye look pretty shocked. Did she ask yew?"

"Shut et…" There wasn't much conviction behind the demand. He looked at Murphy, a small smirk growing on his lips, "Nah, I asked."

"And…?" The blue-eyed twin waited impatiently for his brother to finish. He was honestly curious.

"She said yes…Tomorrow night…Seven…" He was still shocked. Had it happened at all?

Murphy clapped a hand on his brother's back, "Well den let's celebrate! 'ey Doc! Let's get a round over here!"

The old man laughed as he poured each man a shot. Just by looking at Connor, then over to Kareen, he knew what had transpired outside. He didn't mind. Hell, if his niece did date any patron of the pub he'd prefer it was one of the brothers. At least he knew the brothers.

Kareen couldn't stop smiling. For the rest of the evening nothing could take her down from the high she was experiencing. She couldn't wait to tell Ally, Dory, and Jan that he finally asked her out. Of course she would have to tell them immediately! She had no head for style and fashion and had no clue what to wear on a first date. _Oh my God…_Realization bitch slapped her across the face. _I'm goin' on a date! _Kareen couldn't decide which was more unbelievable; going on a date…or going on a date with Connor MacManus.

**A/N Yes, a few references to the Wizard of Oz were indeed necessary. I love TWOO! It's always been the top of my list. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter :-) **


	8. Cherry Stems

**A/N I give to you chapter eight. For those who are reading this, I advise checking out angelfishlex's story Where No One Stands Alone. It's quite excellent! I know I enjoy reading it. **

**Please review! Reviews make me smile and make me want to write more!**

**Chapter Eight: Cherry Stems**

Kareen was sitting on her bed with just about every collared shirt and peasant skirt laid out around her on the chair, bed, and even the floor. Dory, who wasn't scheduled to work, was helping her pick something out to where. Of course the more fashion savvy blonde was groaning in dismay. Did Kareen really own no more than polo's and ankle length skirts? Aside from the couple tops and bottoms she had gotten at the mall, no…Kareen really only ever wore the collared shirts and long skirts.

"You really need to get a new wardrobe, girl!" Dory whined as she pulled yet another long skirt out of the closet. She tossed the rich purple garment to the side. Realization struck her. Turning with a big smile on her face, she asked, "Where's the skirt you bought at the mall?"

Standing from where she sat, Kareen crossed to her small dresser. Why she hadn't hung the skirt up, she wasn't sure. Perhaps it was because she hadn't worn it yet or something like that…Pulling it out of a bottom drawer she tossed the denim piece of clothing to her friend.

Dory held up the skirt. She remembered when Kareen had tried it on at the mall. The denim was light-wash and hit mid-thigh on her. The night was supposed to be warm. There was some rhinestone decoration on the skirt as well. Along the pockets and hemline black, shiny stones glimmered. It was a cute skirt and she honestly was considering going back to find one for herself. Turning to Kareen, she said, "Start putting all this back," she motioned to the countless skirts and shirts, "I think we've got a winner." She grabbed a few shirts before Kareen could get a hold of them. Setting the skirt on the bed she started laying shirts above it and looking over the possible outfit with a scrutinizing gaze.

Kareen sat in her over-stuffed chair and watched the blonde work her magic. Looking at the clock, she noted the time. It was five-o-seven. Two hours was plenty of time to figure out an outfit, shower, and get ready…right? She just watched as Dory did her thing. The blonde would occasionally look at the outfit, then to Kareen, as if she was picturing the possibilities.

Finally, the blonde tossed the unwanted shirts to the side and turned to Kareen, "I've got it. Now, you go and shower. Take your time, too. Use more body-wash than usual. It helps the smell stay."

The Irishwoman just nodded and grabbed her bathrobe and a towel for her hair. She was leaving all of this up to Dory since she had no real clue on what to do. In the bathroom she stripped down and hopped in the steaming hot shower. She didn't realize it until the heat of the water relaxed her, but she was trembling with anticipation.

**Meanwhile…**

The brothers had just gotten off from a day of work at the meat packing plant. It was five-forty-five when they walked into their apartment. Connor looked at the time. Plenty of time! He rummaged in the horribly put together dresser for something clean. Why was it so hard to find clean clothes? He had to open every drawer before he came across a charcoal grey tee shirt with a v-cut neck line. Luckily, he knew there was a pair of only slightly dirty jeans in the growing pile of dirty clothes in the corner.

Murphy smirked, "Whah's got ye en a tizzy?"

"Go fuck yerself."

The man chortled, "I'm just askin'. Conn, et's only Kareen."

"Yeah well…whatever…" He set the clean clothes on his lumpy mattress and headed to the shower. Smelling like meat and blood probably wasn't the best way to start a date. Pulling the handle, he held out a tentative hand under the water hoping that for once it would be at least lukewarm instead of the usual freezing cold. He wasn't so lucky. With a grimace, he stepped under the icy water and took it like a man. The water smarted against his skin, but the shower did its purpose. Turning off the freezing rain, he grabbed a towel and dried himself. Looking at the clock on the wall showed it was six o'clock. He still had an hour to kill. Picking up the clean clothes, he finished drying himself off and got dressed.

Murphy lit up a cancer stick and blew smoke in his brother's direction, "Nervous?" A deviously wicked smirk was set on his face as he stared at his brother. He had always been the anxious, twitchy brother. Connor was usually calm and logical. It made him laugh to see his brother wound so tight.

"Fuck off…" He pulled the shirt on over his head and looked at his brother with an annoyed gaze.

"Aw c'mon man, just tell me. Are ye nervous?"

Connor blew a breath through his nose and ran a hand through his still-damp hair. "Yeah…"

Murphy laughed, "Oh ye poor thing! Scared like a little baby bunny!"

"Shut et!"

No. There would be no shutting up in Murphy's case. Instead, he laughed and prodded his brother with taunting remarks. He got a kick out of his brother's nervousness. It was funny as hell to him. Naturally, this resulted in Connor tackling him out of the chair and the two rolling around on the floor.

**The Apartment Above McGinty's**

Kareen walked back into her bedroom with her wet hair wrapped up in a towel and her fluffy bathrobe around her body. Dory smiled and nodded. She said she would wait in the living room for Kareen to get dressed before doing anything else. The brunette nodded and once the blonde had left her room, she removed the robe and pulled on her undergarments. That done, she looked at the outfit laid on her bed. The skirt had been matched with one of her collared shirts, a black one. She smiled. It felt more comfortable to wear something she was used to. Pulling on the skirt, she zipped and buttoned it. Looking in the full-length mirror, she tilted her head to the side. She had never worn a denim skirt before. Hell, she had never worn a skirt that "short" before. With a small smile and wondering if Connor would like the skirt she pulled on the black polo Dory had laid out for her. With that done, she pulled her hair out of the towel and hollered out the door for her friend to come back.

Dory hopped up off the couch and looked at the clock as she walked to Kareen room. It was six-seventeen. In the bedroom, she smiled, "Yah look good." The black polo matched with the denim skirt had a casual, yet dressy air that Dory was going for. She smiled after Kareen blow-dried her long dark hair, "How are you wearing your hair?"

"Down, like always."

"Really? Why not in a cute pony-tail or half-back?"

Kareen sighed and just shook her head, "I always wear et down."

The blonde let out an exaggerated sigh, "Fine!" She laughed and handed Kareen a brush and comb.

Sitting on the edge of the bed the green-eyed woman first brushed her hair to a shine then combed it free of every last knot.

Dory looked her over. She smirked and went to get her purse. Upon her return, she was holding a long rectangular object and a silver cylinder in hand. Standing before Kareen, she opened the object to reveal a pallet of eye shadows, one for every color of the rainbow. She smiled, "Just a touch and you'll be good to go!" With a practiced hand, she swiped a grey-coated brush across Kareen's eyelids. The dark grey made the verdant depths of her eyes glow. Spinning the top of the cylinder off, she pulled out a flexible brush that was a clear, gooey coat on it. With deft strokes, she put the goop on Kareen's lips. Standing back, a big smile came to her face, "You know, you're pretty with or without makeup, but just a little never hurts!"

Standing, Kareen looked in the mirror. The dark coloring on her lids and the clear glistening on her lips was unnatural. She had never really worn makeup before. Yeah, when she was young and went to her cousin's wedding her ma had dolled her up, but that was it! She smiled at Dory nervously, "Ye dinna tink et's too much, do ye?"

"Pff! Of course not!" She gave me a mischievous smile, "And the gloss is strawberry flavored…Do you think Connor likes strawberries?"

Kareen blushed and gasped at Dory's suggestive words.

The blonde laughed and looked at the clock. Six-thirty-six. Hooking her arm around Kareen's, she steered the woman downstairs, "We'll wait for him downstairs. I want to be there when Connor sees you."

Kareen only blushed again.

Downstairs, the two women waited patiently. Dory sat at the bar, enjoying a drink instead of working, and Kareen stood on the other side, serving drinks to those who asked. Every time the door opened the brunette gave a little jump and looked to see if it was the twins. The first few times were disappointing when only a man or two walked in and ordered drinks from the waitresses.

Finally, at seven-o-four, the door opened again and two men walked in.

Dory smiled and got Kareen's attention.

The brunette looked across the pub at the man who was looking at her. He didn't look any different than usual. Like always, he was dressed in a dark colored shirt and a pair of jeans with his heavy boots. Kareen wondered if, like her own collared shirts and long skirt, he only wore the dark shirts and jeans.

Murphy clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder before walking up to bar and getting Doc's attention for a beer.

Kareen smiled and excused herself from the group she was serving. Grabbing her bag, she walked across the floor. With a smile on her face, she said, "Hi."

Connor looked at the woman before him with a touch of shock on his face. The polo was one he had seen before, but he didn't recollect ever seeing her in the skirt that showed off her slender legs. There was something else…Was she wearing makeup? She was! The dark powder on her lids made her green eyes stand out all the more and the gloss on her lips made them look oh so appealing. _I wonder if it's flavored…_He smirked and said, "Hey."

"Shall we?"

"We shall." Putting an arm around her shoulder, Connor led the woman out of the pub and onto the streets that were basked in the glow of sunset.

It wasn't too far to the little restaurant, so the two just walked. As they did, Connor struck up conversation. "So how was yer day?"

She chuckled, "Et was good. Dory, bless 'er, helped me get ready. I'm not really de kind dat goes out on dates…so I don't really know what ta do." A rosy shade of pink came to her cheeks as she felt embarrassed.

He gave her a little smirk, "Dere's nothin' ta datin'. All ye do es eat dinner an' chat, really." He gave her a little squeeze as he laughed.

"Yeah, well…" She just sighed and smiled. Nervous energy still coursed through her body. She was practically trembling with anxiety.

"Are ye cold?"

"Whah?"

"Ye're shakin'." It was too warm to be cold.

Kareen shook her head, "Oh, no, I'm not cold."

They approached the little Italian joint. Inside it smelled heavily of garlic and a cool air-conditioning vent blew on us. The place reminded me of an Olive Garden, but on a smaller scale. It could probably seat half as many people and probably had half as many choices on the menu. Kareen liked it. It was quaint and seemed more personal than the larger restaurants she had been to. A teenage boy, probably working as a waiter during the summer before school started up, showed them to a little both and handed each of them a menu.

"Is there anything I can get yah to drink?"

Connor smirked, "They got beer here?"

"Bud."

He grimaced, but nodded, "I'll take one."

Kareen chuckled at his disdain. Looking to the boy, she said, "Whatever red wine ye got, please."

The young man just nodded and walked off to the kitchens to get their drinks.

Connor gave her a little smirk, "Fancy."

"Whah?"

He shook his head with a laugh, "I didn't take ye fer a wine-drinker."

She gave a small shrug and leaned back into the padding of the booth, "I just prefer wine wit' Italian food." Flipping open the menu, she looked over the choices. Soups…salads…pastas…small personal pizzas…rice dishes…fish dishes…She was trying to decide between a soup, pasta, or fish when the young man returned.

"Here you go, sir." He set the tall glass of beer before Connor. Turning to Kareen, he set down a wine glass and filled it about halfway with the rich red liquid. He gave them his I'm-only-because-it's-my-job smile and asked, "Are you ready to order?"

Connor nodded, "Yeah…I'll take a personal pizza wit' de works." He looked across the table to Kareen.

She smiled at the young man standing by the table, "The lasagna, please, an' cin we get a small basket o' bread sticks?"

The boy nodded, "Comin' up, Miss."

Connor raised a brow at her, "Do y'always make de boys go crazy fer yah?"

Slightly shocked, Kareen innocently asked, "Whaddya mean?"

He chuckled, "Dat smile o' yers. No guy I've seen can stand not ta go weak en de knees fer et."

With a little smirk, she asked, "Does et make ye go weak en the knees, Mr. MacManus?"

Connor turned his head to look at a painting on the wall. It wasn't really a painting, just a copied picture of one. Giving her a sideways glance, the man said, "Maybe…"

The young waiter returned and set the basket of breadsticks along with two little bowls of dip, one was garlic and the other marinara, on the table.

The two chatted easily as they sipped their drinks and munched on breadsticks. Their conversation soon fell into an easy one. They started to just talk. The topic moved from their childhoods to their families to their jobs to their hobbies to their bad habits and to just about anything they could talk about. They both praised and condemned the quality of the food of the little restaurant. The sauce was good, but perhaps a bit too much garlic. The cheese was delicious and the breadsticks were soft and seemed to hold their warmth.

"So whah's one ting ye don't know, but wish yah did?"

Connor raised a brow at her question as he took a long drink from his glass. Setting it down, he thought a moment, "One ting I don't know…but wish I did…Hmmm…" He raised his eyes to her with a smirk planted on his face, "Who's older."

Kareen, confused by his answered, inquired, "Whaddya mean?"

"Ma never told us, Murph an' me, who's older. We don't know."

A small smile spread over her lips that soon turned into her bell-like laughter. She reached over and patted his hand, "'fraid yer de baby?"

He snorted, "No…I know I'm older! Ain't no way I'm de younger one." Taking a bite of his little pizza, he washed it down with a swig of beer. He fixed her with a smirk, "An' whah 'bout yew? Whah's somethin' ye don't know, but wanna?"

Sipping her wine, Kareen thought a moment. A smile spread over her lips, "Well…Et's more like a feelin'. I've always wanted ta know whah et's like wearin' one o' dose big hoop-skirt dresses like en Gone wit' de Wind." She got this dreamy-eyed look on her face, "I love dat movie, an' de book es amazin'. I've always wanted ta wear a dress like Scarlett's green on dat she wore ta de barbeque." She took another sip of her wine and leaned her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand, "Sometimes I wish I lived back den, be et en America er Europe, sometimes I wonder whah et would be like."

Connor noticed the light in her eyes as she spoke. It made him smile.

Their dinner was followed by dessert. Both hand a slice of pie with a bit of whipped cream on top.

Kareen smiled and plucked the cherry off the top of the pile of sweet cream atop her slice of pie. She plucked the cherry off between her teeth and spun the stem in her fingers. Kareen had always liked cherries.

Connor smirked, "Yah know what dey say 'bout cherry stems?"

She shook her head.

"Dey say ef ye can tie et en a knot en yer mouth ye're a good kisser."

Raising a brow, she playfully remarked, "Oh, an' ye cin do et, den?"

Taking the cherry off the whipped cream, he ate the cherry. When the cherry was done he set the stem on his tongue and worked it around his mouth for a few moments. With a self-satisfied smirk on his face, he pulled the stem out of his mouth. Right in the middle of the stem was a knot.

Kareen gave him a little smirk, "How long did ye practice dat?"

"Half me high school years. Used ta swallow de damn stem. Whah 'bout yew, think ye can do et?" For some reason, he liked that she could see right through him.

She smirked and put the stem in her mouth. For nearly ten minutes she rolled the stem around in her mouth, trying to get the damn thing to knot. Giving up, she pulled out a twisted and bent stem and set it aside, "Nope, but dat was my first try."

He chuckled. Honestly, he didn't really believe the whole stem-in-a-knot deal. Good kissers didn't have to prove themselves with idle tricks. Finishing off his beer, he asked, "So ye said somethin' 'bout yer Da earlier?"

She swallowed a bite of pie and nodded, "Aye. Da was the ever dotin' father. 'e spoiled me all me life. Gave me whahever I wanted. I fell en love wit' books at a young age an' ye should see me treasure trove o' dem back home. Ef ye tink me shelf in me room es loaded, back home et looks like I live en a library."

He chuckled.

"Whah 'bout yer Da? Whah's 'e like?"

Connor hadn't brought up his father. Shrugging, the man just said, "Not a fuckin' clue. Man ran off when Murph an' I were too young ta remember. Don't even know whah he looks like."

She frowned sadly, "Oh…I'm sorry."

He gave her smiled, letting her know that no harm was done.

They continued to talk for another hour until finally the manager had to kick them out, saying it was half an hour past closing time. Apologizing and blushing, Kareen left a tip far too large in hopes of appeasing the ruffled man and his employees.

Out on the sidewalk, Connor threw an arm around Kareen's shoulders once again. He was genuinely pleased with how the night had gone as they wandered through the nearly empty streets of Boston back to McGinty's. The restaurant may have closed at eleven, but the bar was still open. Perhaps they'd have a drink or two. Who knew? As they walked, Kareen leaned a little on him. Usually walking the city streets at night freaked her out. Hell, taking out trash scared her when she had to walk into the alley. Yet on that particular night with Connor's arm wrapped around her, she felt perfectly safe. Nothing could harm her so long as he was there.

The two walked up to the side entrance of the pub. Kareen honestly didn't feel like working…She smiled at Connor, "Tanks fer tonight. I had fun."

Looking down at her, the man took a deep breath, "I was thinkin'…"

"Yeah?"

"Would ye wanna do thes agin?"

Kareen smiled. She was wearing the heels she had bought the day at the mall, so she didn't have to get up on her toes. Instead, she just tilted her head up a bit and kissed his cheek, "I'd love ta." Turning and looking at the door, she sighed. The pub would be open for a few more hours. She did _not _want to work those hours. Looking back to Connor, she gave a little smile, "Good night."

Connor gave her a little nod, "Good night." He watched as she disappeared into the bar. A thought came to mind. Why hadn't he kissed her? He sure as hell wanted to…A small smirk came to his face. _Next time._

**A/N Yeah this chapter does feel a little slow…I wanted to write this chapter, but I didn't at the same time. Ever have that happen to you? Ah well, please review! Reviews make me smile!**


	9. The Wizard of What?

**A/N I am a cat…meow –licks 'paw'-**

**Chapter Nine: The Wizard of What?**

** Two and a Half Weeks Later **

Connor and Murphy were pushing and shoving each other as they walked through the streets to the meat packing plant that employed them. They were both pretty peeved about getting up early on a Saturday morning to go to work, but what can a man do? Both of them shrugged it off and kept to the old French saying _c'est la vie. _Work was work and hell it put food (and beer for that matter) on the table. When the boys walked into the small office to clock-in, their boss looked up with a curious brow raised.

The man stared at them, "What're yah doin' here?"

Murphy rolled his eyes, "Work, obviously."

Shaking his head, the man looked at the paper in front of him, "Y'aren't scheduled fer today." He was truly was confused as to why the boys thought they had work.

The darker haired man turned to his brother, "Ye fuckin' Amadan! I told yah we didn't have work!"

"Oi! I wasn't de one freakin' out like we were already late!"

"Fuck yew!"

Their boss laughed as the boys stumbled out of the room and out of the building with fists flying and the worst sort of language being tossed back and forth.

When the brothers finally settled Murphy's left eye was starting to darken from a well-aimed punch and the left side of Connor's jaw was beginning to bruise from a right-hook of Murphy's. The twins just laughed and headed back to their apartment.

"So whatcha gunna do?"

Murphy snorted, "Go back ta fuckin' bed, dat's what. Aren't ye gunna do de same?"

Connor rubbed his bruising jaw and shook his head with a thoughtful look, "Nah…I think I'm gunna see ef Kareen's up." In the nearly three weeks since their first date, they had had their second and on they had planned to go out again on Wednesday. However…He still felt like a pussy. Despite the countless times he had seen her at the pub and the second date, Connor MacManus had shied from kissing the beautiful Kareen. He wasn't entirely sure why. Perhaps he found her looks intimidating. Perhaps he wanted it to be the right moment. Perhaps he was waiting to be reminded of a glorious scene in a movie. He had no idea, but he still hadn't kissed her.

"Dude, et's seven-thirty! She may not even be awake yet!"

"Yeah, but I can still see, can't I?"

Murphy rolled his eyes as they approached the loft building. Without saying goodbye or even a noncommittal nod of the head the dark haired brother went in. He left his twin standing there.

Connor was far from peeved by his brother's behavior. Instead, with a happy little smirk set on his face he set off down the block to where McGinty's was. His intuition told him Kareen was awake. She had always come off as an early riser despite her late nights. He could picture her sitting at the small dinner table in the apartment she shared with her great-uncle with a mug of coffee or perhaps a glass of juice as she read the next chapter in her latest book. It was a nice image. Approaching the side entrance of the building, he looked at the button beside the door. There was a small speaker and a name placard beside the buzzer that read _Ian McGinty. _Why had he never noticed the name before? He chuckled. He knew why. There was never a reason to use it. During the day the door was unlocked and someone was always milling about the pub. Usually the twins had just let themselves in if they ever had reason to use the side-entrance. With a smile and circling his finger a bit, he zoned in on the button and pressed it. For some reason, the buzzing sound that told him his request to be answered was sent was the greatest thing in the world. As a childlike gleam came to his eye Connor started pressing the button in a strange pattern trying to make it sound like a song. Finally, he settled with holding it down incessantly. Of course there wasn't a thought in his mind about how pissed the people who lived in the apartment might become with his annoying behavior. No, the child in him couldn't help but press the little silver button to his heart's content. It was only until he heard the thumping of someone racing down the stairs did he jump back from the button. Connor put his hands behind his back and put on his best good-little-boy face hopping that either the old man or young woman wouldn't be wielding some form of a weapon when they opened the door.

The door swung open to reveal a woman dressed in a long royal purple silk robe. The man was unsure if she had anything on underneath the robe, but that didn't entirely matter. Instead he took in the woman, chest heaving with her run down the stairs…or perhaps anger….The long dark brown hair that usually fell free was loosely braided and the tail was pulled over her shoulder. A few locks were loose and dangling over her pale face. Deep green eyes with sleep still in the corners burned with an intensity that revealed the woman's emotion. She was _pissed_. Her lips were pursed and her brows were knitted together. Oh yeah, very pissed…With poison lacing her words, Kareen asked, _"What?" _

It was one of the few times he had ever heard her pronounce the T at the end of the word. Connor gave a small smile, "Uh…Hi…I, uh, wanted ta see ef ye were up. I thought ye would be. I was wrong. I'll, uh, let ye get back ta bed."

She straightened up, moving from her position of leaning on the doorframe. Pushing the loose hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ears, Kareen gave him a weak smile, "No, I don't go back ta bed after I wake up…but did ya hafta press de damn button like dat? I was outta bed by de second one!"

He chuckled nervously, "Finger slipped?"

Setting him with a small glare, she said, "Bullshit…" Kareen opened the door fully and swept an arm for him to come in, "Well, c'mon en den since yer here. Why are ye here? I pegged yah fer de kind ta sleep en."

"Murph an' I thought we had work. Turns out we didn't. Murph went back ta bed; I came ta see ef ye were up." He walked in and started up the stairs after her. His mind traveled down Pervert Lane for just a moment as he stared at her bum while she walked up the stairs. _Nice…_Was what passed through his mind before he mentally slapped himself for the thought. However…the man was only human.

They walked into the small apartment and Kareen gave him a small smile, "Do ye want some coffee? Tea?" She opened the fridge and rummaged around inside, "Uh…Juice? Soda? Hell, et's early, but we've got some beer ef yah want et."

Connor chuckled and stood beside her, "Coffee would be just fine."

Standing upright, Kareen crossed the small kitchen and pressed a button on the coffee maker. A gurgling noise began and was soon followed by the pitter-patter off coffee pouring in a thin line into the pot. She breathed in a bit. Kareen hated coffee with a passion, but she always loved the smell of it. _Coffee perfume or cologne would fly off the shelves…_She thought as she watched the practically black liquid pool in the glass bowl-like pot. As that brewed, she pulled out two mugs from the cabinet. They were both plain, black mugs. Setting them aside, she grabbed a tea kettle off a hook on the wall and, after filling it with water, set it to boil.

Connor watched her. This was obviously her regular morning routine seeing as how she went about everything with an almost mechanical behavior. _She's done this way too many times. _He watched as she opened a cupboard that had a row of small, rectangular boxes lined up along the bottom. When she bit her lip he thought it was the most adorable thing. Finally, she grabbed a box and flipped open the top. He continued to watch, curious now, as she pulled what looked like a teabag out. Smiling, she held the bag to her nose and gave a sniff. _Ah. She likes tea. _Connor looked on as Kareen dropped the little square into the bottom of one of the mugs. There was no string and no tag on the bag. It was just a bag. Curiosity took over and he reached for the box she had set down. _Celestial Seasonings: Bengal Spice. _He lifted the box to his face and the spicy scent assailed his nose.

"Et's herbal tea."

"Why not just drink coffee?"

She visibly cringed, "Dinna like coffee. Smells good, but I prefer tea."

The kettle started to whistle.

Kareen grabbed it and poured the steaming water into the mug with the bag in it. She gave him a little smile, "Celestial Seasonings es all natural. Dey've also got de best tea I've ever tasted. Do ye like tea?" She pushed the floating bag around with a spoon as the coffee finished brewing.

Connor reached over and grabbed the pot of coffee and the black mug that had been brought out for him. While pouring the black liquid into the mug, he gave her a smile, "Not really. Never had a taste for tea." Before he could take the first sip of his first cup of morning coffee, he had a mug of brown liquid under his nose. He could vaguely smell cinnamon in the steaming cup.

"Try et."

Cautiously, he set the pot back on its burner and set his own mug aside. Blowing on the hot liquid, he held the mug to his lips. He only took a small sip, a taste-testing sip. He had never liked tea, but the hot liquid didn't taste like normal tea. With a smile, he handed the mug back to her, "Not bad. Not my thing, but not bad."

She chuckled and took the mug. Blowing the top, she downed a good gulp. Her eyes slid shut as she relished in the taste of the warming Indian based tea. Setting the tea aside, she suddenly realized she was still in her pajamas. "Uh…I'm gunna go change...Wait here?"

He laughed quietly and nodded.

Kareen walked quickly down the hall to her bedroom.

Connor hopped up onto the kitchen counter and waited as Kareen got dressed and ready for the day. His stomach gurgled, screaming at him to be fed. An idea formed in his mind. Breakfast! They could hit an IHop or a Waffle House can get a bite to eat. All he had to do was wait for her to come back out and he'd inquire if she was hungry and wanted to get a bite. His head snapped up from where he had been looking into the depths of the black liquid in his ceramic mug. A door had shut. Kareen was walking down the hall and back to the kitchen. She was dressed in her usual apparel. Today she had chosen an aquamarine colored polo and a black skirt. Her hair was out of its loose braid and parted properly. She was still running a brush through it as she walked out.

Connor smiled at her, "I'm hongry."

She chuckled and shook her head, "Boys an' deir food. Also, counters are fer glasses, not asses."

"I was wonderin' ef yah wanted ta go get a bite at IHop er Waffle House er somethin'." He hopped off the counter and took another swig of his coffee. _Hypocrite…Like you don't sit on the counter at the bar…_

Kareen contemplated his words for a moment before turning to a little dry-erase board stuck to the fridge. Grabbing a marker, she wrote a quick note. _Breakfast with Connor. Be back later. Coffee should still be fresh when you wake up. –Love, Kareen. _She then smiled at him, "Alright den, let's go, I'm hongry too."

As per usual, Connor draped his arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the apartment and down the stairs. They chattered easily. Kareen had grown far more accustomed to talking. It was almost August. They had met in the early days of May. In the nearly three months they had known each other, Kareen had grown to like the twin brothers. They were as different as night and day, yet as similar as two blades of grass. She had come to love the company of either brother, though Connor's was preferred. There was something about him…

The two walked into a nearly empty Waffle House and plopped down at one of the many empty booths. An extremely tired looking waitress brought them each a menu and left after getting drink orders. She returned shortly with Connor's coffee. It was obvious this was not a good morning. In fact, Kareen noticed she looked like she had been up all night by the dark circles under the woman's eyes.

The man smiled at the brunette across the small table from him, "Sleep well?"

Kareen looked up at him over the top of her menu, "Well, I work 'til tree, den et wasn't even eight when some jerk was bein' a feckin' chancer an' pressin' de damn buzzer nonstop." She gave him a little smirk, "Slept like a babe."

Connor rolled his eyes. He knew she was messing with him…or was she? Without thinking that perhaps it might be hot, Connor took in a mouthful of coffee and swallowed. He gasped and his face went red from the scorching sensation that trailed down his throat and into his stomach.

She only smirked, "Karma's a bitch…"

The two laughed. When the waitress returned, they ordered their breakfasts and set into an easy conversation. Movies came up. Now, Kareen wasn't the movie buff that Connor was, but she was shocked to know he had never seen a particular movie. How could he have not seen it! It's a classic!

She was staring at him in disbelief, "Ye've never seen de Wizard o' Oz?"

"Nope."

"Et's a classic! I spend more time be'ind books den before a screen an' I've seen et!"

He shrugged, "Guess et never appealed ta me."

Shaking her head, she ate a spoonful of grits. After swallowing, she wielded her spoon at him, "I ain't workin' tonight, so yer comin' over and we're watchin' de Wizard o' Oz."

Connor looked at her. A small smirk was playing at the edge of his mouth. She looked…cute? Adorable? What was the word he was looking for? Kareen with her pretty green eyes and coffee-creamer skin, Kareen with her long chocolaty hair, Kareen with this behavior of a Victorian socialite half the time. Her vocabulary had started to embrace the fowler words, but she was still so…Hmm…The word finally came to mind. Innocent. Kareen, despite working in a pub with countless men asking her out and trying to grab her ass, was innocent. He just smiled at her, "Alright, I'll come over an' we'll watch the fuckin' movie."

"Don't make et sound like dat! De Wizard o' Oz es a great movie! Not a "fuckin' movie" y'asshole!"

"Ma'am, if you're going to use profane language, please keep your voice down." The waitress had pursed lips and looked as if she wanted to kick the two Irish patrons out.

Kareen blushed and smiled demurely at the woman, "Apologies, Miss, I'll keep et down." When the waitress had walked away, she turned back to Connor. He was grinning at her. "Whah?"

He chuckled, "Ye're cute when yah go all scarlet like dat."

The comment only deepened the shade of red on her face. Naturally, this brought on a good laugh from the man.

The two finished their breakfast after sitting in the diner for nearly two hours, much to the annoyance of their waitress. Afterwards, they walked back through the busy streets of late-morning South Boston to where McGinty's was. Kareen knew that her uncle would be awake and she didn't need him burning the place down by trying to make breakfast. That and she wanted to get some sleep. Of course she had been joking with Connor earlier about sleeping like a baby. She had only gotten a few hours of sleep when he was playing around with the fucking buzzer.

At the side entrance to the pub, they stopped to say their goodbyes and until-laters.

Connor looked at her. For the first time in a while, there was no movie scene playing in his head. There was nothing magical about the moment. Nothing about the atmosphere of being in an alley in the late-morning with the sounds of a city was spectacular. Nothing about the moment was classic-movie 'right,' but he did it anyway. Before she could say anything along the lines of a farewell, Connor leaned his head down and to the side just a bit and kissed her.

Kareen's eyes flew open. Her body tensed for two excruciating seconds before relaxing. With the tiniest sigh, her eyes slid shut. She felt her knees begin to tremble slightly. While both making sure she wouldn't fall and just for the closeness, she wrapped her arms around Connor's neck. She couldn't stem the flow of thoughts going through her head.

_Our first kiss…_

_ If I had to compare, Kian suddenly seems no better than a dog lickin' your face._

_ Where did he learn to kiss like this!_

_ Perhaps what they say about cherry stems is true…_

_ If it wasn't gay, I'd tell him to give Kian a few lessons…_

_ No, Ellen doesn't deserve kisses like this…_

_Dear Lord his lips are soft…_

_ I never kissed Kian like this…_

_ Why can't I stop thinkin' about that ass?_

_ Mmm…I don't like coffee, but it doesn't taste bad in a kiss…_

_ Uncle Ian would tear into Connor if he saw us. Hahaha feisty old man…_

_ How long have we been kissing? It feels like it's been ages…_

_ How much longer __are__ we going to kiss?_

_ I hope it doesn't end…_

But it did end. The two pulled away from each other at the same time. Neither knew just how long they _had _been kissing, but both knew it had been fantastic. Connor looked down at Kareen's face. Her eyes were still closed and there was the lightest brushing of crimson dancing across her cheeks. There was the smallest of smiles on her face. He had to resist the urge to sweep her up and carry her off to a bedroom somewhere. Instead, he just dismissed the idea as _too soon _and gave her another, smaller kiss. This time when he pulled back, he smiled and said, "I'll see yah later."

Kareen finally opened her eyes and smiled at him, "Yeah…Later…"

He smirked and headed off to his apartment.

Smiling like a complete idiot, she headed back inside and up the stairs. Upon entering the little apartment she found her uncle sitting at the little kitchen table with a few slices of toast. She smiled at him happily, "Mornin'!" She practically skipped to the kitchen to grab herself a drink before joining him at the table.

Doc peered at her over a mug of hot coffee, "Whah's got ye so happy thes mornin'? Breakfast dat good?"

Sitting down, she took a gulp of water and just smiled at him, "Very good…"

"Lass, yah look like ye just had de best thing happen to yah."

She smiled and rested her chin in her hand and her elbow on the table, "I did."

Doc was never one for 'girl talk,' but when it came to his niece and her possible new beau, he had to ask, "Well, out wit' et."

"Oh, breakfast was good. We blathered on fer a bet." A gleam came to her eye, "When we got back, though, he gave me a right good goozer before I came en." Her face flushed anew as she remembered.

The man chuckled and shook his head, "I tought by now dat was old happenin's."

Kareen just smiled fiercely. It had, indeed, been a right good goozer…

**A/N I finally found a website with DECENT Irish slang/terms. They should be making more appearances here on out. I find someone so fresh from Ireland should use more slang, yah know? Especially if they live in a heavily Irish neighborhood! Also, the brothers being the rowdy blackguards they are, should use it more too, right?**

**Adaman—Idiot **

**Chancer—dodgy bloke**

**Blather(ed)—Talk(ed)**

**Goozer—kiss **


	10. The Best Pillow

**A/N So….this chapter was thought up with the help of my best friend Katy. Those who read my stories know who Katy is :) Anyway, there is another chapter later on coming that we almost peed ourselves laughing while describing. Perhaps you will too. Anticipation!**

**So I realize I sorta fecked up…I mentioned in chapter 7 that Connor HAD seen TWOO and in chapter 9, he suddenly hasn't! I can't believe I did that! I think I covered my tracks at least a little bit…**

**Chapter Ten: The Best Pillow**

**July 31, 1998**

Kareen was bustling about the little apartment. Though the space was already immaculately clean, she found the slightest dirty thing to scrub until it shone. _Heaven sakes! Is that a spot! _often crossed her mind. Naturally, after that came to mind she was off singing 'Be Our Guest' from Beauty and the Beast as she cleaned…. Visitors were few and far apart aside from the occasional visit from Dory, Jan, Ally, or the brothers. However, tonight was different. Tonight was a date-night and she didn't want to be embarrassed by even the slightest dirty spec in the apartment. _Cleanliness is close to Godliness…_Her grandmother's words rang through her mind like the tolling of a Church's bell. There was no way in hell she would let Connor come over to any form of filth…despite knowing that men are often dirtier than women…When she was certain the place was perfectly spotless, she lit a few large jar candles and let the scent overtake the smell of cleaning products. She heaved a happy sigh at the glorious odors wafting through the air. Hazelnut cream and vanilla candles made it smell like a bakery in autumn. Making sure the candles were nowhere near anything flammable, she smiled and walked back to her bedroom. Comfortable clothing was needed if she was going to veg-out on the couch for however long with Connor. Of course…her devious little plot was to get him to watch The Wizard of Oz…and as many other movies as she could get into the VHS player before he either a) fell asleep or b) left. She had a small stack of them at the ready.

Quickly, she changed into a pair of black yoga pants and a comfortable tank top, an outfit she often wore to bed when nightgowns were not wanted. It was almost six and Connor would be making his appearance any minute. Nodding to herself, Kareen put a back of microwavable popcorn in the, so dubbed 'micro-beamer,' and then set the television up for movie-watching. Smiling, she popped the over-sized cassette tape into the VHS player and waited as the sound and smell of popping corn permeated the air. She blew out the candles and let their scented smoke fill the air for a few minutes before being over-powered by the delicious aroma of buttered popcorn. Just as the microwave binged that the popcorn was finished there was a knock at the door. She couldn't get to the door fast enough. With a wide smile, Kareen opened the door and saw Connor standing their. As usual, he was in his dark colored shirt and jeans. Did they really own nothing else?

He smiled, "I smell popcorn." His hands were behind his back rather conspicuously. She knew he had to be holding something since every time he moved there was the sound of something shaking in a box.

Kareen beamed a happy smile at him, "Whah else do yah eat when yah watch a movie?"

Connor brought his hands around from behind his back to reveal a large box of Bunch-a-Crunch chocolate candy. He smirked, "Candy."

She chuckled, "Ye're a babby at heart, aren'cha?"

"Perhaps…"

Stepping aside, she let him into the apartment.

Connor looked around. The place had always been clean…but this was almost unbearable. He could _smell _the clean. Despite the overlay of candles and popcorn, there was still the subtle scents of glass cleaner and dish soap. _God give her strength the first time she ever sees our apartment…_He chuckled at the thought. Looking at the TV, he noticed it was paused half way through a preview.

Walking into the small kitchen area, Kareen called out instructions, "Make yerself at 'ome. I'm just gettin' the popcorn. Want a drink?"

With a manly grunt he plopped himself down on the sofa. Realizing she was probably strict on shoes, he quickly bent down and took off the heavy boots and set them neatly to the side of the couch. He smiled at her question, "Aye, I've got a throat on me. Whatcha got en dere? I'll kiss yah ef yah say some Jameson's."

He heard her laughing.

"Aye, we've got Jameson's, but how 'bout we get trough a movie 'fore ye go an' get bolloxed!"

"Hateful, y'are! Purely hateful!" He chuckled, "Ef I can't 'ave alcohol, ye got any root beer?"

His ears soon picked up the sound of cracking soda lids and the fizzle-pop of soda being poured. A small smile came to his face when she walked out with a large bowl of popcorn and two drinks in hand. Setting them down on the large chest that served as a coffee table, Kareen sat down beside him and reached for the remote. With a happy smile on her face she pressed 'play' and grabbed the bowl of popcorn.

Connor wrapped his arm around her and smiled triumphantly when she nestled in closer to him. The smile on his face only grew when she laid her head against his upper chest. He pulled her in closer.

As the movie began, Connor's eyes suddenly widened, "Et's black an' white…" He stared at her in shock. Black and white!

Kareen chuckled, "Just watch."

The opening credits rolled on through and opened to the scene of Dorothy running along a dirt road. She smiled. Kareen adored this movie. It had always been one of her favorites ever since she was just a little kid.

"Who de hell es Mrs. Gulch?"

"Just _watch!_"

Connor heaved a sigh and watched the black and white flick. When Auntie Em came in with the food, he raised a brow. For some reason, he found the woman very similar to his own Ma. He just chuckled and shook his said.

And then Judy Garland began to sing.

"Et's a feckin' musical?"

Kareen looked at him, quite shocked. Did he really know _nothing _about the classic movie! She just rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Just watch."

_Her new motto…_He thought as he settled down and watched the girl singing on the farm. A smirk came to his face when he heard the quite singing of Kareen to the song. Now, he was no judge of talent, but it did sound like someone scorching the belly of a toad. _The face of an angel and the voice of a screaming cat. Finally, Ms. Perfection has a flaw. Hahaha. _As he watched he sneered when the Mrs. Gulch he had inquired about made her appearance and took away Toto. He then mentally cheered as Toto made his grand escape and returned to his beloved Dorothy. He chuckled when he realized something. "Dory's full name is Dorothy. Think she's got a little black dog?"

Kareen slapped his knee playfully. "Oz jokes are so over-played."

"Well, yah never know!"

"Oh, shut yer cake-hole."

They settled down to watch the movie. Connor wouldn't—couldn't—lie; he was on the edge of his metaphorical seat during the twister scene. He was surprised when Dorothy walked out of the house and into the colorful land of Oz. Despite knowing that the movie was about sixty years old, he couldn't help but roll his eyes at how obviously fake everything was. With a little laugh, he kept on watching. Suddenly, he realized that Mrs. Gulch was the Wicked Witch of the West! And when the young girl stumbled upon the talking scarecrow, he recognized it was the same actor as the field-hand who told Dorothy she didn't have any brains. _That's probably the point…_The movie continued. It was interesting. He found himself enjoying the classic musical and cheering on the young Kansan and her new friends. It wasn't long before he realized he _had _seen bits and pieces of the movie, but had never really _watched_ it. He had seen the scene in the Haunted Forest, he remembered the guards chanting "Gloria" as they marched about, but aside from a few other scenes, it was all new to him. He had never seen the beginning before, the ending, or about three-quarters of everything else.

When the movie was over, he smiled at Kareen, "Not bad. Personally, I think Tinman shoulda had de feckin' gun. Scarecrow probably couldn't hit a cow's arse wit' a banjo since 'e's so clumsy."

She laughed and smiled at him, "Ye're too right." Hopping up, she walked over to the stack of movies she had at the ready. Taking out The Wizard of Oz and putting it back in its case, she picked up the next movie she had in mind. Trying to be as sneaky as possible, she put it in the VHS player.

This, however, did not go unnoticed by Connor. He raised a brow and asked, "Whah are ye doin'?"

She smirked at him, "Just wait…"

"Another flick?"

"MmHmm." Kareen stood and once the tape started playing, she pressed pause. Turning to the man lounging on the couch, she said, "I'm gunna use da Jack real quick. Be right back."

He nodded her off. As she walked off down the little hall, he wondered what movie they were about to watch. Another classic? Hard-core action? Romance? Comedy? He would just have to wait and see!

When Kareen returned she happily sat down and rested leaned against him as she had done during the Wizard of Oz. She wrapped an arm about him and snuggled close. A happy sigh escaped her lips. There was no better pillow than the human body. Picking up the remote, she pressed 'play' and waited at the movie began.

A lovely sunset scene with brilliant white words that read "Overture" was on the screen as gorgeous music played.

Connor's brows knitted together. He knew this movie. It had been a while, but he knew it! What was it! Thinking hard, he finally turned to her, "Gone wit' de Wind?" This was his best guess.

She smiled and nodded, "Aye. Et's probably me favorite picture. Gran gave me de book an' showed me da movie." She sighed. "I admit I miss me Gran."

He gave her a smile and hugged her close to him.

Throughout the movie, Connor had to shush Kareen with a smile. It was obvious she had been the movie countless times. He was surprised the tape was still usable. It seemed she watched the movie constantly. The woman wouldn't stop speaking along with the characters. Not that Connor actually cared. He thought it was adorable, especially in the scene with Scarlet and Rhett in the library. However…he was a bit put off by her comment of always having a crush on Rhett Butler. She said it was something about his swarthiness, smirk, and the way he used his eyebrow. After he acted all hot and bothered by it she insisted she'd never be able to live with a man like Rhett. He was handsome, but far from her type.

"An' whah es yer type?"

She smiled sweetly up at him, a smile that twinkled in her eyes, and kissed his cheek, "Irish. Ef he ain't Irish, he ain't worth the mebbs 'e's got."

Connor smirked down at her, "So…Dat means I'm worth my own mebbs?"

"Aye, y'are."

He enjoyed the boost to his ego and nestled down to watch the movie. It wasn't long before he realized Kareen was watching instead of mimicking the old movie. With a happy sigh he readjusted so he was half-laying, half-lounging against the corner where the arm met the backing. While munching on the rest of the popcorn and the chocolate candy he had brought, Connor watched the movie of the Old South. Despite her comment about the man, he found himself taking Rhett as a favorite character. Melanie was, indeed, a 'mealy-mouthed ninny,' and Ashley was just…well…he seemed rather, well, gay. Rhett was the only reasonable, logical, and forward thinking male in the entire movie. No wonder he and Scarlet would make 'perfect' couple. If only she had forgotten Ashley sooner…When the first tape of the movie ran out after Scarlet proclaimed that she, nor her kin, would ever go hungry again with God as her witness. The interlude music played out. With a little smile he looked down at Kareen to ask if she was going to change out the tapes.

Kareen was sleeping. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was just slightly ajar. By the looks of it, she had been out for quite some time. He doubted she had made it to the amputation scene. Hell, he doubted she had made it to when Rhett gave her the green bonnet from Paris. A smile came across his face as he looked down at her. Looking around, he found the remote sitting on the opposite arm. With a stretch and a groan, trying not to wake her, Connor reached out for the remote control for the TV. Success was his when he grabbed the electronic device. Turning off the television, he adjusted, again trying not to wake Kareen. Connor finally was in a position that would make sleeping easier. He was almost completely prostrate with his left side against the back-rest of the couch. One leg still hung over the edge, but the other was kicked up on the arm at the other end. He had moved Kareen, glad she seemed to be a heavy sleeper that night, so that she was laying halfway on and halfway off of him. Reaching up, he grabbed the afghan blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and covered the both of them. His mouth opened wide in a sudden yawn as he laid his head back against the armrest. It wasn't long before he was sleeping as deeply as the woman laying on him.

**About Three Hours Later**

Doc walked into the apartment. It had been a long, slow night at the pub. He had even closed an hour and a half early. Few people had come in. Murphy had been there with Rocco, but they weren't as obnoxious as usual since Connor was preoccupied with the old pub owner's niece. He chuckled slightly and tossed his keys down noisily. It was when he walked into the small kitchen and flicked on the light to get a cold drink of water that he saw the two figures sleeping on the couch. He felt bad for his noisy entrance…until he noticed the two were so thoroughly passed-out that his noise had no effect on them whatsoever. The old man chuckled as he got his water and quietly headed back to his bedroom. As the man readied for bed, he realized that Connor and his beloved niece did seem to make a wonderful couple. Her brand of femininity seemed to fit like oiled gears with his kind of masculinity. The rose and the weed. He liked how around the man, Kareen would curse and act more brash, and that when he was about the woman, Connor would act more proper than usual. They complimented each other well. He wondered where their relationship was going to go…

**A/N It's blue! Three letters long! Starts with an R. Can you guess? It's right down there! Right below this author's note. Click it! Please! I like reviews, they make me smile happily! **

**Babby—infant/child**

**Bolloxed—very drunk**

**Cake-hole—mouth (duh!)**

"**I've got a throat on me."—I'm thirsty**

**Mebbs—genitals**

"**Couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo."—poor aim; bad shot; piss-poor accuracy**

**Jack—bathroom; toilet**


	11. Pog Mo Thoin

**A/N A chapter with a little more MacManus Madness I think…Also! I get my slang off a British/Irish slang database, so if I'm crossing hairs, I apologies!**

**Chapter Eleven: Pog Mo Thoin **

** August 1, 1998—Morning **

Kareen's eyes opened slowly as she took in a deep breath. Exhaling in a sigh-like yawn, she looked around. She had nearly forgotten why she was sleeping on the couch in the living room until her eyes caught the sight of the popcorn kernels at the bottom of the bowl. It was then she realized she wasn't sleeping on the couch, but on Connor! For what felt like eternity, Kareen stared at his sleeping face and smiled slightly at the small snoring sound he made. He was twenty-six, but he seemed younger in his sleep. Don't most people? Anyway, she stared at him wondering if he was going to wake up anytime soon. Surely, if she stood he'd wake instantly and she didn't wake it to be a rude awakening. Biting her lip, Kareen went through her mental archive of character behavior from about every book she had read. A smile came to her face. _I've always wanted to try this. _Leaning forward ever so slightly she pressed her lips to his, hoping to awaken the sleeping man from his calm slumber. She was rewarded when she felt his lips move beneath hers in response to the gentle kiss. When she pulled back, he was grinning at her.

"Good mornin'."

Kareen beamed a happy smile at him, "Mornin'. Ye snore, ye know dat?"

"Murph is worse."

She sat up and stretched. Looking about the room, her eyes fell on the clock. It was nine in the morning. Yawning, she asked, "When did I fall asleep? I dinna remember getting' ta de end o' de first part."

He snorted a laugh, "Ye didn't." Sitting up, he gave a stretch of his own. "I don't know when yah fell asleep. I was watchin' an' when et was over ye were out like a broken lamp."

Kareen stood and headed for the kitchen, "Hongry? I'll make yah breakfast."

The man laughed as he stood, "A girl after me own heart, y'are!" He followed her like a young pup into the small kitchen. "I could eat. I'm as useless as a cigarette lighter on a motorbike."

"Well ef yah go an' set down I'll fix somethin' worth eatin'." She ushered him out of the kitchen and went back to her usual morning routine.

Feeling a tad bit miffed, Connor plopped himself down and decided to try his hand at working Kareen's TV and VHS. After a few misplaced button-pressings, and many a-cuss word later, he had the screen on and the player working. Going through her stack, he decided _what the hell? _and put in the second half of Gone with the Wind. Soon he could smell eggs cooking and bacon frying. A smile came to his face. He wondered what else would be had with breakfast. However…he was soon lost into the world of Tara as Scarlet tried to rebuild her family's plantation.

Suddenly, the characters on the scene stopped moving. Just as Pork was trying to get Scarlet's attention about something they stopped moving and stopped talking. Frozen.

"Whah de?" He looked over his shoulder to see Kareen sanding there with the remote to the VHS. _How did she get that? I swear it was right next to me. How did I not see her? _

She just smirked and tossed the remote down, "Breakfast es ready."

"Alrighty." Connor hopped up to find two plates of food laid out on the table, each with a fork beside it on a neatly folded napkin. In front of one there was a steaming mug of black coffee and the other had the tan-brown liquid of tea. On each plate were two waffles, a small heap of scrambled eggs, and a few slices of bacon. Rubbing his hands together like any eager, hungry man with a plate of delicious looking food before him, Connor sat down and grabbed his fork.

Kareen just chuckled as she sat down to her own breakfast. She took her time with her food. She chewed slowly, washed every bite down with a bit of tea, and being absolutely certain her elbows never came near the tabletop. There was nothing she hated more than people who leaned on tables while they ate. It was a wonder she made it through the meal without, much as her grandmother would do, whacking Connor on the hand or elbow with a wooden spoon to straighten his table manners. Connor was leaning full-force on the table. He ate ravenously and drank his coffee noisily. More often than naught his fork would make a terrible (to Kareen) _clink! _or _ping! _as it collided with the plate on a journey for food. She almost visibly winced when he took a drink of coffee with his mouth still full of food.

Of course Connor finished before she was even halfway through her plate. He gave her a big smile, "Es dere more?"

Her eyes widened a bit, "More? Jaysus! Whah are ye? A bottomless pit?"

"Aye, actually, I am. Cin I get more?" He gave a little pout and the best puppy-dog eyes a twenty-six year old man could muster. "Pleeeease?"

Kareen pursed her lips then smiled, "Oh, alright." Standing, she took his plate, "I'll get yah more."

As she walked to the kitchen his eyes followed her. Connor smiled to himself, _God she's amazin'…Yah know, a guy couldn't do better in a bird than Kareen. She's great. She can be funny when she wants, she takes her job seriously, she's modest and doesn't seem the kind to do a line and play the trollop. She's…She's…_

Kareen walked back in and set another plate before him. It had about half as much food as the first one, but it was still a decently full plate. Sitting back down, she started on the rest of her plate.

Connor stared at her a little while he ate. He was trying to figure out the rest of the thought he had been having. _She's…Well, she ain't perfect, contrary to popular belief. She's…Hmmm…Yah know, she's nothin' but herself. She doesn't put on a front. She's real. _Before he even realized he had asked it, the question had escaped his mouth. "Kareen, why don't we make thes…yah know…_us…_I guess, yah know, official er somethin'."

He was taken off-guard by the look in her eyes. A light…no…a fire he had never seen was burning in the depths of her green irises.

She smiled at him. "I'd like dat."

Connor was still shocked he had asked. A smile slowly crept over his scruffy face. It had been a while since he'd had a girlfriend. He wasn't really the relationship kind. Occasional dates and one-night stands were his forte. Yet there was something about Kareen that made him not want to share…Getting up, he leaned over and kissed her. A Little Connor inside him was cheering him on, telling him to 'get et!' and hooted and hollered.

**A Few Weeks Later**

It was late, almost nine. Kareen had to run upstairs after a patron, drunk as a skunk, had run into her on a run to the bathroom to barf. Their collision had sped up his regurgitation and she had needed to shower in water after being showered by the contents of his stomach. She had nearly hurled at the mere stench of the revolting vomit soaking her clothes. After a shower containing a good scrub, she dressed in fresh clothes. The girls had taken her out shopping again. Kareen had decided she needed to replace some of her skirts that were older, some had holes and some were tattered at the hem. Instead of getting new skirts, she got more jeans. She had fallen in love with the low-cut, dark wash jeans of one particular company and bought four pair. With the new jeans on, she grabbed a fresh polo and slipped back into her boots. Jogging back down the stairs, she reentered the pub. The man had been politely dismissed from the bar for the rest of the evening.

Doc smiled at his niece, "A-Are y'alr-r-right?"

She beamed a happy smile back at him, "Aye, I'm fine." Taking up a circular black tray, she hit the floor. Ally had called in sick at the last minute and someone had to cover her. Kareen volunteered and for the evening was playing Waitress instead of her usual act of Bartender.

As she moved about the floor, she kept glancing up to the bar. There sat the brothers MacManus with their friends, as usual, enjoying their drinks and laughing wildly. Her heart gave a little flutter. There at the counter was her boyfriend. Kareen played with the term in her mind. She had been single for nearly a year and dating was something she had never been a medal-winner at. _That's why he left for Ellen…I know it…_She knew she was right. Kian had left because she was too…old-fashioned? Is that the term? She had come to notice her differences from other women. Dory was a tease and a flirt and it kept the men at the bar asking for more drinks. Jan was, for lack of a better term, a bit of a light-skirt. She was free with her kisses and affections to flirtatious men. Ally, she was a little more wholesome, but frisky all the same. They were nothing like the women in her books. _Books…_Kareen furrowed her brow. Her books…her books of hundreds of years ago. She loved her books. She would kill if someone did something to her books. Yet, her books put a wall of inked paper between her and the world. The brothers' friendship had pointed it out to her. Shaking her head, she went back to work. Each time she passed behind where the brothers and their friends sat, she would stop for just a second to give Connor a little kiss. For some reason she just couldn't get enough of his lips…

The night continued on like any other night of work. However…there was one particular table that was annoying Kareen. Every time she would deliver them fresh drinks, the men would hit on her and try to get her to hang around longer than she was allowed. She had, on countless occasions, pointed out that she was in a relationship and that her boyfriend was _right over there! _They didn't listen though. They kept making their attempts. It was when one of them, a rather drunk man out to impress his friends, grabbed Kareen's ass did she finally lose the temper few knew she had. Glaring at the man with a finger pointed in his face, she let loose, "Pog mo thoin, ye feckin' chancer! Touch me agin an' dere'll wigs on de green! I'll kick ye wit' yer noggin's full o' feckin' nits right en de clatters! _Do it agin! I feckin' dare yah ta grab me arse! Do it AGIN!_"

The men, pure Americans whose patronage to McGinty's really wasn't that common, burst out laughing at her outcry.

"Wigs on the fuckin' green!"

"What kind? Blonde? Brunette! Ahahaha!"

The one who had grabbed her ass even mocked her. "Oh, us wee _chancers _with our, what was it boys? Oh yeah! Us with our _nits _need to be nicer."

Her pale face went crimson, but before she could scream another tirade at the men someone pushed her gently to the side and knocked the mocking man out of his chair and onto the floor. She stood back and watched for a few seconds as the person laid into the man on the floor. When she realized who it was, she tried to pull him off, "Connor! Connor stop et!"

The others from the bar and come to Connor's aid when the rest of the vulgar men had ganged up on him.

Kareen was handed back from one man to another until she was back behind the "safety" of the bar with her uncle. Other patrons had either fled the pub or to the other side and watched. Some were even cheering on the brothers. Kareen just stood there and watched.

Connor was straddling the chest of some poor bloke, beating him about the head and face viciously. He stood and brought the man to his feet. Grabbing him by the shirt, he brought their faces within inches of each other. The man, still conscious by some stroke of bad luck, spat a bloody gob in Connor's face. The Irishman didn't take kindly to that. With a grimace, he gave the American a good head-butt before tossing the man against the wall. All the while he was shouting at the man about respecting women and not to touch her again and to never come back. He lost track of his own words. The fury within him was mounting continuously. He honestly didn't know which was worse, that they grabbed her bum to begin with or that they laughed at her obvious fury in their actions. He felt those were the kind of guys who didn't take "no" as an answer. That didn't fly with him. No. He had to teach these mother fuckers a God damn lesson.

Kareen watched on with wide eyes.

Beside her, Doc was punching the air and shouting encouragement to the boys. "G-Give 'im a left, Murph!" "Conn! Conn! T-Toss a r-r-r-right!"

The woman bit her lip as she watched the fight continue out. She was not only seeing the fight, but the damage. _That shelf will need replacin' now…I just ordered those bottles! No…Please…Murphy, put the chair...Put the __pieces__ of the chair down! No! Not the tables! Not the tables! It'll take me two weeks to get this mess straightened out! _Then of course her mind went back to the fight. She found herself smirking. _Get him! Get him! No, don't use the tray! The leg of the chair will do more damage! Oh yah stupid plonker! Be a man! Go for the yockers! _

Murphy and Connor found themselves back to back in the middle of the fight. They had lost reasoning for the fight and were now just fighting for the fun of it. They hollered and laughed to each other as they went at it with the other men.

**Half an Hour Later**

The vulgar men had tucked tail and ran from the bar as soon as they could get out of the grasp of the men defending Kareen. Now the brothers and their friends were sitting on the bar as the woman went from each one, first aid kit in hand, and administered band-aids and gauze pads liberally.

She sighed when she got to Connor, "Ye know, I woulda taken care o' tings myself."

He gave a weak smirk through a busted lip.

Kareen shook her head and wiped away the drying blood with an alcohol swab. "Men…" She then wiped away at the cut over his eyebrow. After putting a couple band-aids on the gash to soak up whatever blood decided to flow, she set the kit down and looked at all the guys. Many had fresh bruises blooming on their arms and faces. She was certain there were more bruises on their bodies where shirts and pants were covering. A smile passed her lips. "Ye guys…Ye're just great." They got hurt, yes. They destroyed half the pub that she would have to clean and replace, yes. They had been utter, complete, plonkers, yes…But they were the greatest friends. Protective and kind and funny and just the best people she had met her entire life. She smiled happily at Connor. If it wasn't for the swollen and busted lip, she would have kissed him.

**A/N It took me a couple days, but my best friend is visiting so I only get time to write when we decide to veg, watch movies, and read/write stories. Hope y'all liked it! How was my bar fight? I've never written a bar fight before!**

**As useless as a cigarette lighter on a motorbike—I'm hungry**

**Bird—Girlfriend**

"**Do a line"—Cheat**

"**Play the trollop"—act like a whore**

"**Pog**** mo ****thoin****"—Kiss my ass!**

**Chancer—Dodgy bloke**

"**There'll be wigs on the green"—there'll be a ruckus; there'll be hell to pay**

**Noggin—head**

**Nits—head lice**

**Clatters—male genitals **

**Arse—Rump **

**Plonker—Idiot **

**Yockers—Male genitals**


	12. Pizza Box Collection

**A/N Thank you all so much for the reviews! I truly love checking my e-mail and seeing Story Alerts, Review Alerts, and Favorite Story waiting for me! You guys are amazing!**

**Chapter Twelve: Pizza Box Collection **

It was morning Kareen was in small kitchen behind the pub with her beloved Uncle Ian. They were doing dishes from the previous night and chatting easily. It had taken a bit, but the two of them had gotten everything replaced from the brawl a week and a half earlier. The three broken tables, broken shelves, and multitude of destroyed liquor bottles had all been replaced. She was humming a melodious tune to herself as she washed glass after glass. A happy smile was on her face. It was a rare day as her long dark hair was not completely flowing down her back. Today the top half of her hair was pulled back and tied in place with the very purple ribbon she usually used a book mark. Tied in the small ponytail was a gorgeous pale pink and white stargazer lily. Lilies were her favorite flower. For, you see, Kareen had awoken to the childish buzzing of someone calling to the apartment and she had had a feeling she knew who it was. Angered, she had run downstairs and had flung the door wide. No one had been there! Instead, on the ground there was a single flower and a note. _One for one_ was all it had said. Kareen still smiled at the thought of the romantic gesture. _The movies. I blame the movies. What other reason would there be? _She found herself thinking that thought often. Connor did have a few quirks and mannerisms that could easily be attributed to the movies he was so passionate about. It made her smile. He was nearly as attached to his movies as she was to her books.

Doc noticed her joy and smiled, "Wh-Wh-Whah's gotcha so happy to-today, Kareen? Ye look right pleased 'bout somethin'."

She smiled and began to dry glasses with a rag from over her shoulder, "Oh, I am pleased, Uncle." She dried a glass and put it in a waiting cupboard. "I am very pleased."

"Well, whah did de boy do?"

"He gave me a lily," she turned a big, happy smile to her uncle. "He gave me a lily fer our 'one month.' Oh, me uncle, he cin be so romantic at times." Her face was set as though she was looking upon all the angels in Heaven. "And sometimes he es just a manly man. Connor es a good mix of both."

Doc smiled. He had happy his niece was happy. He was also happy she had taken no offense when the blaster Kian and Ellen sent an invitation to their wedding. She had torn it in half, trashed it, and forgot it ever happened. She did not cry nor rave nor shut any one out. She simply didn't care. He could tell Connor was having effects on the woman. They had been dating for nearly two months, a real item for one, and he could already see the happy effects it caused on her. His favorite was that she was always smiling. Doc did love his niece's beautiful smile. He found it her most appealing feature.

When Kareen had finished helping with the dishes, she kissed her uncle goodbye and walked the one block to the apartment building where her boyfriend and his brother shared a loft. She had never been to their apartment but she knew it was the fifth floor loft, that much she had been told. The boys had given her a spare key long before she had become a thing with Connor. She was told she was welcome anytime. Well, now she was banking on that welcoming. She happily walked into the front lobby. It was no five-star hotel. The lobby was shabby and sparsely decorated. She picked out a few things she would change. The puce green sofa for one…She headed for the lift. Something told her the lift was the same one from when the building was erected long ago. She knew the building was old, its very bearings whispered their age to her with the voice of an old man who had seen many years and many things in his time. The lift ride was jolting, but not terrifyingly so. When she stepped out on the fifth floor, she walked up to the door that led into the boys' apartment. She slipped the key into the lock and listened as the tumblers moved. Turning the key, she opened the door to a sight that made her feel physically ill.

It. Was. _Revolting! _

Pizza boxes! Beer cans! Full ashtrays! Dirty clothes!

Stepping into the apartment, Kareen cringed openly at the sty before her. It was no worse than any usual bachelor pad, but it was filth. Kareen's obsessive cleaning habits had made even dusty knick-knacks bother her. This was more than her poor body could take. And the _smell! _She was picking up man smell, bad man smell, dirt, trash, something that reminded her of vomit, and a disgusting odor she could only attribute to rotting something…How did they live with it!

Kareen noticed the brothers weren't home. She guessed they had work.

And suddenly it was Christmas!

A big smile spread over her face. Kareen loved to clean. Jan joked she had OCD: Obsessive Cleaning Disorder. This apartment was something she could spend all day cleaning! She could feed her habit for an entire _day_ without cleaning the same thing _twice! _

_Alright, Kareen, first things first. You need supplies to deal with a manky place like this! _She poked around the loft for whatever cleaning supplies the brothers may or may not have. Much to her small delight, she did find they had _something_ for cleaning. Under the sink the brothers had half a bottle of glass cleaner, a roll of paper-towels, and a dust-pan with a little brush. That was it. She continued to poke around and she found a broom. No mop. She frowned. Looking around, she took note of things she would definitely need. _The shower needs proper curtains…The beds need new sheets…Those curtains need to be replaced for sure. Oh…I may even see if that old dresser can be replaced. I'll leave that to them, though. _For a few moments she searched for a piece of paper. On an old envelope she wrote down the list of supplies she would need to get to turn the apartment from the piece of shit to something worth living in. There was no way she was going to let her man come home to this and she didn't even care if she was stepping over boundaries and on toes. With one final nod, she grabbed her keys and her purse and left.

**Half an Hour Later**

Kareen returned to the apartment with an arsenal of cleaning supplies. She had purchased a bucket for hot water that she had carried everything in. Soap for mopping, sponges, gloves (like she was going to touch anything!), more paper towels, sanitizing wipes, air fresheners, dish soap, wash rags, more glass cleaner, furniture cleaner, and a box of garbage bags. Her other arm was bent with a bag hanging off her elbow and two bags in her hand. The bags contained two shower curtains to section off the shower, new sheets for the beds, and simple curtains. Over her shoulders she had a new mop set like staff with rods for hanging the curtains. Everything had cost her, but seeing as how Kareen was never spent money unless it was truly needed she had the cash to spare. That, and she was willing to spend ever scent of her money towards her new project. Sitting her supplies down, she got to work. Kareen braided her hair and sat her lily on an end table by the rugged couch. Pulling on her gloves, she grabbed the box of garbage bags and set to work.

With a happy smile, she turned on the boys' radio and found a station with dance music. Turning up the volume, she bounced around as she started to clean the apartment. Bag after bag was filled with trash. The sheets on the bed were shoved into one and promptly replaced with the new ones. She didn't know which bed belonged to which brother so she had gotten two sets of matching sheets. She put fresh cases on the pillows and made the beds with the comforters that were on them. Next, she tackled the old, dingy curtains. They were a grey-yellow, but she new that was not their original color. She could tell they had once been white. Shaking her head, she shoved the nasty curtains into the bag with the ruined sheets. Going out onto the fire escape, she found the dumpster was right beneath her. She smiled and tossed a few garbage bags down, smiling happily when they landed either in or right beside the metal container. Returning to her work, she picked up the old broom and set to sweeping. Halfway through she picked up the dingy area rug and took it to the fire escape. There she hung it over the railing and started to beat it with the broom handle. She went inside and grabbed the small brush-broom for the dust pan and did her best to brush away all the dirt from the rug. That done, she left the rug to air out so she could return to her sweeping. Occasionally a song she knew in passing would come on and she would belt out along with the chorus in her rather abrasive voice. When the sweeping was finished, she filled the bucket with was hot water she could get out of the pipes and poured in a liberal amount of soap. First, she started with a sponge and scrubbing away at everything from the moldings on the floor to as high on the walls as she could reach. She scoured every inch of anything she found with even the tiniest speck of dirt. More than once she had to change out the clear water for the dark brown liquid that replaced it. She was glad she had bought more than one bottle of the soap!

The moment of truth came. Kareen's nemesis. The one thing she hated to clean just by the simple fact of what it was.

The toilet!

She and her fresh bucket of soapy water knelt in front of the Porcelain God. This was no god though…The toilet, white respectively, was stained with what she could only assumed was…well…what looked like dried vomit from hangovers and possibly late-night misses (if you catch me drift…). She stared it down. _You're goin' down! _Grabbing the sponge, she attacked the outside of the bowl first. Soon, the stains began to disappear and give way to a clean, almost sparkling white surface. She scrubbed the outside of the bowl and tank until she was certain there wasn't a spot left. Then, holding her breath, she lifted the lid and dove into the bowl. She had to stop a couple times to catch her breath before going at it again. After the inside of the bowl was clean, she scrubbed out the inside of the tank. Kareen stood back and looked over the toilet. She had a feeling it wouldn't stay to immaculate for too long…

Nodding, she set to work on scrubbing down the shower area before hanging up the new curtains. Seeing as how they were men, she got plain green curtains that were neither a grotesque color nor feminine. She smiled and arranged the boys' shower things neatly on the floor since there wasn't a shelf for it. _They'll need one of those, too._ She made sure the curtains were hung so the boys could have at least a little privacy in the shower. _The shower is where all your secrets are broadcasted on a loudspeaker. You have the ability to turn the volume down, though. _

Kareen turned her attention to the little kitchen area. Opening the cupboards she pulled everything out shelf by shelf, cleaned the shelf, and put the things back in an orderly fashion. With that done she cleaned the doors to the cabinets and scrubbed the small amount of counter space down with liberal amounts of cleaner. Next, she tackled the dishes in the sink, which she promptly dried and put away. When the sink was empty, she scrubbed it down until it shone. Next she tackled the refrigerator. She tossed everything that was spoiled or had even an inkling of mold on it. After that she cleaned the shelves and didn't stop until it smelled like lemons.

When the kitchen area was clean, she turned to the last leg of her race. She cleaned all of the windows and hung up the new curtains. That done, she picked up her trusty bucket and the new mop. The floor didn't stand a chance. Barefoot, as her mother had taught her, Kareen mopped the floor. She sat on the dingy couch and waited for the floor to dry before going out and getting the area rug. She laid it out and made sure it was perfectly straight.

Kareen stood back and looked over her work. The apartment was spotless and smelled like cleaning products. Lemon was a predominate scent in the air. She nodded and smiled. It was fine now. She only hoped the brothers would keep it clean…but that much she doubted. Turning her head, Kareen looked at the clock. It was almost four in the afternoon. Fuck. At least she didn't have to work. She had been cleaning for nearly five hours! A noise made her turn suddenly.

The brothers MacManus were heading up the lift.

Murphy gave a sniff as they neared their floor, "Whah's dat smell?"

Connor lifted his nose a bit to sniff the air, "I dunno man, but it smells kinda good."

The lift brought them to their floor. The smell was stronger. Curiosity overcame the brothers as they approached their door. It was unlocked? Opening the door, their jaws hit the floor. Their apartment was…it was…it was…_clean! _It had never looked that clean!

"Fuck me…"

Kareen smirked at her boyfriend's comment, "Not yet, perhaps en de near future dough."

The brothers looked at the woman.

Murphy raised a brow, "De hell yah doin'?"

She motioned to the apartment, "I had come over ta see ef Connor was 'ere. Well, when yah weren't an' I saw de state o' dis place, I couldn't help mahself. I had ta clean et. How en fuck's sake could ye live en de sty dat et was?"

Connor shrugged, "Guess we never noticed."

She smiled and approached them. She gave Murphy a smile before kissing Connor. When she pulled back, she put a finger in each of their faces, "Et's clean an' et's gunna stay dat way. Understood?"

The brothers nodded, suddenly afraid of what would happen if they let the place fall to ruin again. "Yes ma'am." "Yes'um."

She beamed a happy smile, "Great!" After giving Connor another kiss, she grabbed her purse, "I'll even leave yah de supplies I bought. Use 'em!" With that, she bounced out of the apartment.

Connor and Murphy looked at each other.

Suddenly, the paler brother gasped in pain, "She trashed me pizza box collection! Nooo!" Always the dramatic one, he fell to his knees and cried out in 'anguish.'

**A/N Chapter twelve! Sort of a filler chapter. I wanted to bank of Kareen's OCD behavior and have her attack their apartment. Who wants to start betting on how long it stays clean? I've got a week and a half!**

"**The shower is where all your secrets are broadcasted on a loudspeaker. You have the ability to turn the volume down, though." –This is a personal quote of mine, Brittney A. B. I'd really prefer you don't take it. Please…If you want to use it, just ask! So long as you give me credit, we're all good :-)**

**Manky—Filthy**


	13. The Party Store Threw Up!

**A/N Yay for chapter thirteen! Everyone! On your feet! I wanna see some dancing! Shakes those booties! Ladies, give the girls a shimmy and a shake! –dances around- I always love to celebrate an unlucky number! Woohoo! Also, I just chose a random month and date for the boys' birthday. If they actually have one, I don't know it!**

**Chapter Thirteen: The Party Store Threw Up!**

** September 18, 1998 **

The four waitresses of McGinty's were meandering the mall looking for just the perfect _something. _None of them really knew exactly what to get. What was something that they would even like?

"What about a movie?"

Kareen shook her head, "Nah, 'e's got so many, I'm afraid ta get 'im a duplicate!"

Jan nodded, "Kay is right. He does have a lot."

Ally crossed her arms, "It was just a suggestion…What about a new shirt or something?"

Dory rolled her eyes, "Yeah, that's exactly what they want."

"Would you three stop downing all my ideas! At least I'm thinking of something!"

The four passed a kiosk selling hand-bags and took a moment to rummage through them and try to think of something either of the twin brothers would like to receive.

Jan spoke up, "What about a cartoon of cigarette's each?"

Dory looked at the woman and spoke with a voice laced with sarcasm, "Yeah, fuel the bad habit. I'm sure they'd love lung cancer."

"Hypocrite! You tell us to stop bashin' ideas and then bash Jan's!" Ally exclaimed at the blonde's remark.

Kareen laughed her bell-tinkling laugh at the three of them. She picked up a rather gorgeous purple purse. Knowing she really was supposed to be shopping for the boys didn't matter. She wanted the purse! After making the purchase, she looked into a shop. Winter clothes were out. She smiled when she saw something, "Ladies! I've got the perfect thing!"

The two blondes and the redhead bounced over as Kareen showed them what she had found. They gasped and suddenly nodded. They were perfect! They were useful, stylish, masculine, and darkly colored which would match the rest of the boys' wardrobe. Perfection! Kareen grabbed two and made sure they were just right before purchasing the items.

Ally smiled, "Now to the party store for supplies!"

The four women laughed and linked arms as they walked through the mall to where Party Central was waiting with the gaudy amount of streamers and decorations the girls planned to use for the brothers' twenty-seventh birthday party that was being had at McGinty's. As they shopped about the party store, the girls chattered like squirrels. Finally, the subject of Kareen and Connor came into question.

Ally smirked and asked, "Is he a good kisser?"

The brunette gave a little smile as she put a few rolls of green streamers into her hand-basket and looked around for blue ones, "Aye, compared ta me ex, he es. Compared to Connor, Kian es a yappin' pup tryin' ta lick yer face." She found the blue streamers and tossed them in her basket. Murphy's favorite color was blue and Connor's was green.

Dory giggled and grabbed a bag of balloons. She nudged Kareen, "So, tell us, is kissin' all he's good at?"

Jan and Ally giggled like schoolgirls at the question.

"Whaddya mean?"

The blonde gave a short laugh, "You know, is he _good_."

Kareen was still lost on what her friend was talking about. What did she mean by emphasizing 'good'? She shrugged, "I still donna know whah ye mean?"

"You know! The Sideways Samba! 'Tween the sheets Tango! Is he _good in bed?_" A huge smile was on each of the waitresses faces as they waiting expectantly for Kareen's answer. The three always wondered if the deliciously sexy Irish twins were any good between the sheets.

Kareen blushed furiously.

Jan smirked, "He's amazing, isn't he!"

Dory tossed in her two-scents, "She's blushin' because he isn't!"

Ally smirked at her friends, "She's blushin' because she doesn't want us to know!"

Kareen shook her head, "No, dat esn't et." She looked down at her boot-clad feet, "I donna know ef he's…good."

The three gasped.

"I thought for sure you'd slept together by now!"

"Yeah, you guys seem like you bang on a regular basis!"

"I was certain you'd slept with him when he was over watching movies!"

The brunette shook her head, "No, Connor an' I haven't slept together yet."

Jan had to be the one to ask, "Why not? If I was you I'd jump him the first chance I got."

Her fellow blonde rolled her eyes, "Yeah, we all know you would, Jan. Maybe Kareen has a good reason."

"Aye! I do!"

The three looked at her expectantly.

Kareen stared at them. Being the center of attention was never something she was good at. Taking a breath, she explained, "I want et ta be special, yah know…Doesn't every girl?"

Jan raised a brow, "Honey, after a while 'special' just doesn't cut it anymore."

The redhead was staring at Kareen. She was trying to solve the riddle in her head.

"Yeah, well I want et ta be special ef I do sleep wit' him."

That's all she needed.

Ally's jaw hit the floor, "Kareen…"

"Aye?"

"Are you a…a…"

Dory and Jan suddenly caught onto their friend's train of thought. The three asked it all at once.

"_A virgin?_"

Kareen tossed her brown hair haughtily, "An' ef I am? Whah of et? Es et wrong ta want et ta be wit' someone really special."

"I thought you said you had been with that Kian guy for almost two years! You never slept with him?"

"No…I always said I'd wait 'til me weddin' night. I suppose 'e left cause 'e was tired o' waitin' an' didn't wanna put a ring on me finger."

Jan raised a brow, "So…You're not gunna sleep with Connor unless he marries you? Don't you think that's a little…old-fashioned? I mean, what if you wait for the right guy to ask you to marry him and they're all put off by your views? You'd be a virgin for, like, ever."

Kareen shook her head, "No…After I got word dat bitch Ellen was gunna marry Kian, I decided I'd change a bet. Now, I just gotta really, _really _feel for de guy, yah know? 'e's gotta be _really _special."

Ally chuckled and put an arm around her friend's shoulder, "You, my friend, are truly a role model for young girls everywhere."

They all laughed and agreed before purchasing the ungodly amounts of streamers, balloons, and decoration for the party that night. It was a Friday, but the pub would be closed to all non-partygoers. The party had been Kareen's idea, the location and decoration ideas were all from the waitresses. They thought it would be hilarious to see the boys' faces when they walked into the pub all decked out like it would be. The funniest part was that the brothers had no clue what was happening.

**That Night**

Connor and Murphy were leaving their apartment. Kareen had just called and invited them to come down to the pub for a bit. She wanted to give them their birthday presents. They grabbed their ragged old jackets and stepped onto the streets. It was a chilly evening and the city was beginning to feel the dropping temperatures of autumn. The two huddled into their jackets for the one-block walk to the pub. As they neared, they noticed something. It was quiet…too quite. When they got closer, they didn't see light spilling from the windows or door. Why did it look like the place was closed if Kareen had just invited them over? It didn't make sense! With curious brows raised, the brothers opened the front door of McGinty's.

Lights suddenly came on.

"_Surprise!_"

The brothers jumped as their worst fear came into realization. A fucking surprise party!

The two men looked around the pub. Green and blue entwining streamers covered the ceiling and hung down to eye-length. Balloons were casually tossed about the floor and table tops. Two stools at the bar each had balloons attached; one in green and one in blue. Banners that read out _Happy Birthday! _hung about the pub's ceiling and doorways. Confetti littered the floor and the tables. The decoration was definitely, _definitely_ overdone. The boys just stared at everyone. Their usual friends from the bar, the waitresses, and the two McGinty's were all there.

Murphy was the first to speak up, "Alright! Which one o' ye fuckers thought thes shet up!" There was a big smile on his face. It had been a long time since the twins had a _real_ birthday celebration.

Kareen stepped forward and gave the man a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "Dat would be me." She turned to his twin and kissed the hazel-eyed man. "Now let's have a pint an' enjoy yer birthday!"

The crowd cheered as they all sat at the bar. The drinks flowed freely as Kareen and her uncle stood behind the bar with bottle after bottle at the ready. They were lucky the bar was closed for the evening aside from partygoers because the group of people that equaled about a third of a usual night's business drank enough to cover a full house.

Out of nowhere, Kareen hushed the group, "Alright! Alright! Shut yer gobs!" She had to holler over the raucous laughter and shouting of the group. When they finally shut up, she smiled her sweet smile at them all, "Ladies an' gents! As usual, dere should be a few gefts fer de birthday boys! Ef yah go' a geft, hand et over now before dey're too drunk ta open et!"

Some people laughed, others reached behind the bar to where they had stashed their present. Kareen bent down and picked up two large, flat, rectangular boxes. One was wrapped in green with blue ribbons and the other was blue with green ribbons. She smiled as she watched the others give their presents first. Vanity made her want to go last.

One of their friends bought them each a cartoon of Marlboros.

_I knew gettin' them cigarettes wouldn't be wise!_

The waitresses each presented their gifts. Ally gave them each a bottle of Jameson's whiskey, Jan gave them each brand new drinking glasses, and Dory presented them each with a six-pack of Guinness. What else would waitresses at a _pub_ give to the regulars?

Doc didn't have a gift for them. His gift was not charging them for the excessive amount of alcohol they were drinking!

Finally, it was Kareen's turn. She smiled happily and handed the green-wrapped box to Connor and the blue-wrapped box to Murphy, "I tought ye'd need 'em." _I hope they like them…_She shook with anticipation as the brothers tore off the wrapping. When the paper was tossed aside, it revealed two white boxes; the kind clothing would go into.

The brothers looked at each other with curiosity in their eyes. What could be inside the boxes? They tore at the small pieces of tape holding the lids on the boxes. At the same time, with a motion that exaggerated their twin-hood, the brothers removed the lids. Both stared at the contents of their box with mouths hanging slightly open. They each fingered the nearly black cloth and the shining black buttons on the beautiful jackets. She had gotten them each a brand new pea coat. Murphy tore out of his ragged old jacket and stood up. Taking the dark coat out of the box, he slipped into it and admired the fit. Connor followed suit. He pulled on the new jacket and squared his shoulders. It fit well.

"How'd yah know what size ta get?" Murphy asked as he ran a hand down his front, feeling the fabric beneath his fingers.

She smiled, relieved they liked her gift, and said, "One o' de fellas who worked at de shop was just about yer size. I 'ad 'im try 'em on fer me. I'm glad dey fit."

Connor leaned over the counter and gave her a kiss. He pulled back and smiled at her, "Yer great, yah know dat?"

It was as if she had been handed a million dollars. Connor's approval of the gift was just what she needed! She smiled back at him, "Ef yah say so."

"I do day so! Now, let's get back ta drinkin'! I'm thirsty!"

Everyone laughed and cheered. The drinking continued until the early morning hours along with bad singing-along to music. At one point the four women who worked at the pub jumped onto the bar and started dancing _Coyote Ugly_ style! This of course brought hoots of laughter from the on looking men and even a few jokingly tossed dollar bills.

As people left and the night wore down to a stop, Kareen was sitting on the bar-top with Connor standing in front of her. Her arms were wrapped around his neck while his hands sat easily on the curve of her hips. He stood between her legs and they were connected at the lips. There was no one there to groan or tell them to get a room. No. Everyone had left by now. It was just the two of them.

Connor's lips moved from her mouth to her jaw then they slowly kissed a trail down her neck and came to stop where her throat meat her collarbone.

She could feel her heart racing. She could hear the pounding in her ears. The smallest of gasps left her lips at her nipped lightly at her skin. She could feel the aching want deep within her.

The pounding in Kareen's chest only got worse when Connor said, "Ye know, I don't hafta work tomorrow. Why waste a perfectly good night?" She knew what he meant.

Half of her wanted to say…or scream…_yes! _but the other half, the more logical, above the waist half, was shaking its head sternly. She bit her lip, "Um…"

Connor left her neck and stared into the green depths of her eyes. He could see there was a battle raging within her. He chuckled a little, "What?"

_Lie! Lie Kareen! Lie to him again! It's the only way to save face! _There was a voice screaming at her in her mind. _No harm done if it's believable! Just lie! _Kareen bit her lip, "Um…I'd love ta, but I can't."

He raised a brow, "Why?"

_Think woman! THINK!_

She looked down between them. _That's it! _She looked back up at him with an apologetic smile on her face, "Mother nature." Lies and slander…She had had her flow two weeks before…

Realization spread over his face after a few minutes of thinking. Connor chuckled, "Well, perhaps some other time." He kissed her again. When he pulled back, he playfully reprimanded her, "Yah know, ye really shouldn't get a man all chubbed up ef yah don't intend on doin' anythin' 'bout et."

Kareen laughed and just smiled at him, "Well ye shouldn't assume, should ye?"

He laughed and grabbed his new coat and the raggedy old one. After another kiss, he just smiled, "I'll see yah when de sun's up."

She nodded, "Bye."

Connor walked out, slightly frustrated. He had made a couple insinuations and attempts at getting to sleep with his girlfriend. Honestly, they had been dating for about three months and not once had they gone to bed together. It was Connor's record. He had two; fastest to bed with a woman was knowing her for half an hour and his longest was Kareen. This was his third attempt. They always said _third time's the charm!_ Bullshit…Each time there was a different reason. _"Where? At yer place dere's Murph, here dere's Uncle Ian." _That was respectable and understandable. _"I think I'm gettin' sick an' I don't wantcha gettin' et too." _He knew that was a straight up lie._ "Mother Nature…"_ He felt this was just another excuse…but wasn't quite sure. Lie or not, it was enough to keep him from even testing it. All Connor knew was that he wanted Kareen, he wanted her something fierce, but she honestly seemed to be avoiding the subject. Why? He could tell she wanted it too. When he kissed her neck in just the right spot or held her in just the right way, he could feel the want inside her of. Why did she avoid it so much?

Kareen sat on her bed breathing deeply. She had showered and readied for bed once Connor had left. Now she sat there, breathing steadily and trying to put the image of them together in bed from her mind. Yet, each time she meant to push it aside, a fresh one would form. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes, forcing the thoughts of sex from her mind. There was no way she would sleep with him…not yet anyway. She would do nothing until he knew why she refused him. Until then, she would force herself to suppress the want. Why did she want him so badly? It was always so easy to dismiss thoughts of Kian and the bedroom, but Connor made it so _difficult_. She laid her head on her pillow and stared at the ceiling. Thoughts of him in bed were replaced with thoughts of if/when she told him. Would he end it? Would he wait? Would he act like Kian? _No…_She knew she would never behave in Kian's way…but she still didn't know the answers to the other two questions plaguing her mind.

**A/N Please tell me what you think! Reviews make me smile! And who, be honest, guessed before this chapter that Kareen still clung to her V-Card? Anyone?**

**If you like this, check out my finished story Arrows to Bullets featuring the other MacManus twin. **

**If you like Blade II, check out my fanfiction The Healing Thief, featuring the sexy Scud!**


	14. Damn Slab of Wood

**A/N Howdy!**

**WARNING! There is adult content in this chapter. It is the only time it will show up in the story and I refuse to rate my story M for one chapter. Understand that. I'll give you a hint, if you don't want to read it, DON'T READ THE ITALICS!**

**Chapter Fourteen: Damn Slab of Wood...**

The pub was empty a couple weeks after the party. Tuesdays were never their busy days. There wasn't even enough people for Ally to be there. Kareen had taken the opportunity to read a bit. She had read the book before. It was _The Border Lord's Bride _and it was one of her favorite. She loved how Ellen clung to her morals and when the girl was seventeen she still hadn't even had her first kiss. _She's no light skirt, _Kareen thought as she turned the page. Ellen was married to the Laird of Duffdour, now. He had yet to take her in his bed, but he had been busy. Now he was ready to take his wee wife to bed. Duncan, the Laird, was far older than his fiery haired wife, but he would be gentle. Biting her lip, Kareen leaned on the bar as she read.

_He could see the blue-veined pulse in her slender throat leaping against her creamy flesh. "Only pleasure," he promised her. "Now wrap your legs about me so I may sink deeper into your sweet body, my wee wife." _

Kareen could hear the deep Scottish brogue in her head. It sent a tremor through her and chills raced up her spine. With a little smile, she continued.

_And when she had complied with his request he kissed her a fierce, hard kiss, absorbing the cry of pain that escaped her when he thrust against her maidenhead. Once. Twice. A third time, and the membrane finally shattered, letting him drive deep into her. He licked the tears from her cheeks, his hot tongue tenderly caressing the salty moisture from her skin. Then he began to move rhythmically within her, slowly, until she was moaning low against his mouth, her body straining against him, seeking everything he wanted to give her._

She had to shake her head for a moment, ridding herself of the mental image. Usually, she'd let the mental movie play on without stopping, but there was something wrong with this reel! Ellen was small and red-haired with skin so pale snow looked dark in comparison. Duncan was large, muscular, with shaggy long black hair and shocking ice blue eyes. Then, if the characters were ones she knew so well, why were the two people in her head obviously _not _the Laird of Duffdour and his wife? Why, in her mind, did she see a smaller man, but not scrawny, with light, sandy colored hair and a slight tan? Why was his bedmate a woman with long, chocolate colored hair with eyes the shade of the lawns surrounded the keep?

After the image had gone from her mind, Kareen continued, firmly telling herself that Ellen was a red-head and Duncan's eyes were blue, not hazel!

_It had hurt! Mother of God, it had hurt!_

Kareen pursed her lips. _I hope it doesn't hurt as bad as all that…_

_But then as quickly as the pain had driven through her, it was gone. And in its place was a feeling of fullness. She was full of him, and he fit her like a well-made leather glove as he plumbed her depths, unleashing feelings such as she had never known existed. Ellen clung to him_

Down at the other end of the bar, the twin brothers were enjoying some drinks and chatting easily with Doc. Murphy had noticed Kareen had a book in her hand. Their mission had seemed complete as she read about a third as much as she usually would. Doc had thanked them greatly. The brothers had succeeding making the cocoon that was Kareen open up to a social butterfly. Now whatever they did to make the butterfly flap her wings was just a plus. Now, Murphy nudged his brother to look at the green-eyed beauty at the other end of the counter.

Connor raised a brow. She was leaning on her elbows on the bar with a book in her left hand. Her chin rested in her right hand. Clean, white teeth bit down on a plump bottom lip as her eyes looked over the pages. He leaned over the counter a bit to see the rest of her. Kareen had her wait situated on her right leg and her left foot was propped up on her toes. Her foot wiggled back and forth a bit as she read.

Kareen didn't notice she was being watched. She just kept to her reading.

_Unable to help herself she sank her teeth into his shoulder, biting down hard, and she heard his rumble of laughter as he swore softly. He increased the tempo of his rhythm, and her nails clawed at his back as she wanted more and more._

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and back again. Again the characters in the novel were replaced with a hazel-eyed man and a chocolate-haired woman. This time, though, she didn't bother righting the mental image. Now the words on the page were lost to her. She sat the book pages-down as she thought more on the scene in her head. Just thinking about it made her pulse race. She stared out the window across the open room from her, but her eyes did not see. Her mind was too fixed on the rather stimulating scene in her mind. Blinking for probably the first time in five minutes, she turned her head and looked down the bar at Connor. Her heart began to pound even harder. Paranoia told her he knew _exactly_ what she was thinking about. Gulping, she straightened up and called to her uncle, "I'm gunna go upstairs fer a bet. I'll be back down." She didn't wait for approval as she headed for the stairs.

Connor watched her go. _What's up with her? _He looked back to the book she had left sitting there on the bar top. His brow rose.

Murphy, who followed his brother's gaze, smirked, "Nosy."

"Fuck yeah, I am!" He stood and walked the few feet to where the novel sat. Lifting it, he glanced at the front cover of a red-haired beauty in Scottish garb with her long hair blowing in the wind. Shrugging, he went to pages she'd set the book upon and started off where the man was speaking.

_"Little wildcat," Duncan growled deep in his throat. He caught her wrists, pressing them back on either side of her head. "Look as me, Ellen! Look at me!"_

_With great effort she opened her eyes, although her eyelids felt leaden. Her gaze met his, and she saw the passion between them reflected. She cried out, and he laughed low as she said, "I canna look more. It is too much! Too much!" her head was spinning again as her eyes closed, but now behind her eyelids stars burst over and over again. She cried out again, but the sound was lost in the roar of his shout as his juices burst forth within her, and his big body shook with desire fulfilled. _

Connor's eyes widened a bit. He shut the book and set it on the other side of the counter where she kept her little stash. His mind was buzzing with curiosity. Most of his thoughts were aimed on how prim and proper Kareen could be and yet she read novels with in depth sex scenes. He realized that the quip he'd just read was only the end of the scene. He wondered why she read such books. A thought came to mind. _Lot's of women read books like this... Why am I surprised Kareen does too? _Shaking his head, he went back and sat with his brother.

Murphy smirked, "Good book? Ye look like y'only read a page!"

Connor's brows were still in his hairline, "S'all I needed ta read. Et's one o' dem 'adult romance novels' dat women read."

The blue-eyed twin snickered. This was too good! He nudged his brother, "So she'll gladly screw around wit' a guy in a book, but won't let ye touch her! Hahaha!" He was on the verge of falling off his stool.

"Shut et!" The laughing man's twin gave him a shove that sent him tumbling to the floor.

Laughing his rump off, Murphy stayed where he was on the floor.

Connor's pride was injured. He had come to the conclusion that two of Kareen's three excuses were obviously bullshit. Which two, he wasn't entirely sure. He knew the Sick Excuse (as he named it) was crap, but the Mother Nature excuse and the Threes-a-Company excuse (another name) were both plausible. Which was the bullshit? Which was truth? He was leaning towards the threes-a-company being a real reason. He knew girls who had used their monthly flow as a way to tell a guy 'not in your life,' but would Kareen be that petty?

Upstairs, Kareen was lying on her back looking up at the ceiling of her bedroom. Her pulse was still racing. It refused to stop. Her head was swimming with images. Every novel with a bedroom scene was going through her head and every pair of characters was replaced with Connor and herself. She slammed a fist down beside her on the bed, "Fuck!" She sat up and stared at her reflection in the mirror in her room. Standing, she stood in front of the mirror and tilted her head to the side. With a sigh, she started to ask herself questions aloud. "Would 'e care dat I'm a virgin?" She searched her mind, then shook her head. "No…No, Connor wouldna care. Et might even impress him!" That lifted her spirits. She smiled at herself, "He's only ever seen me dressed…Would 'e tink I look good naked?" Despite herself, Kareen found herself a few moments later staring back at her naked form. She twisted this way and that. Personally, she had always thought she had a good body and from the cat-calls of men she knew most men thought it was good too. A small smile came to her lips. "I tink 'e would." Just as she bent to retrieve her discarded clothes, someone knocked on her bedroom door.

She squeaked and, still naked, ran to the door. Swallowing hard, she cracked it open and peaked out, "Y-Yes?"

Connor was standing there. He raised a brow and smirked, "Why are ye hidin'?"

"I spilled somethin' all over me. I was just changin'."

_She's…naked…_He tensed up a little at the thought of there being only a slab of wood between him and his quite possibly one-hundred-percent naked girlfriend…He cleared his throat, "Uh, Murph an' I are headin' home. I just came up ta say goodnight."

She smiled at him, "Night."

He leaned closer to the barely open door. With a little push, he opened it enough for him to kiss her goodnight.

_Not a good time to be naked! _Was what passed through her mind as she kissed him back.

When he pulled away, he gave her a smile, "Night." He left without another word.

Kareen shut her door and slid to the floor. Her heart was racing again.

**A Week Later**

"Well how the hell am I s'posed ta tell 'im!" Kareen barked at Dory. The two women were shopping…again…It seemed to be the one thing that kept Kareen interested, but not too keyed-up. She picked a pretty long-sleeved red blouse off the rack. Holding it to her, she looked into a nearby mirror. "I mean, how does a lass tell 'er boyfriend she ain't slept wit' a guy yet?"

Dory shrugged and fingered the soft black fabric of a skirt. "I dunno…Maybe on Saturday when y'all go out to dinner you could tell him. Yah know, tell it to him straight, Kareen. Just look him in the eye and say 'Connor, babe, look this is the thing. I have lied to you as to why I can't sleep with you because I'm still clinging to my V-Card and I don't want to just give it up to any guy!' It's as easy as that, hun."

Kareen frowned, "It's easier said dan done. Kian knew from de beginning 'cause I was still a teen when we met an' 'e knew me grandparents who are really old-fashioned. Connor es different though…" She looked at her blonde friend and had a small smile on her face. "I actually kinda wanna sleep wit' him."

The largest smile spread across the blonde's face. "Seriously? You, pure little Kareen, want to sleep with Connor?"

Kareen stuck her tongue out. "Aye, I do. I can't get et outta me head! Ever since I told yah girls I canna get him…us…outta me head!"

With a happy squeal, Dory grabbed her friend's hands, "Then you're gunna get an outfit that's going to make him sit up and beg for it!"

The brunette gasped, but laughed happily as the blonde pulled her around the store.

**A/N Will Kareen has the lady-balls to tell Connor? Will she chicken out? How will Connor react? Stay tuned!**


	15. Love, but Not Love

**A/N Laying here on my stomach and typing away. Very relaxing. I hope you all like the next installment to Bound By Pages, and please, if you like the Blade series, check out my Blade fanfiction The Healing Thief which is based before and during Blade II. Please review, they do make me smile :D**

**Chapter Fifteen: Love, but Not Love**

Kareen was fidgeting and self-conscious. The outfit Dory had made her buy was something far more revealing than she usually wore. Her blouse was a deep crimson shade and had a neckline that plunged so dangerously low she was afraid her bra was showing. It hugged her shapely torso snuggly. Dory had said it was both sexy and a little slutty, which was good if the woman wanted Connor attention _that way_. No man could resist such ample breasts that were put out there like that. Below the sultry top her legs were encased in incredibly low-cut jeans that hugged her hips and thighs. The shirt was just a touch too short and the jeans were just a touch too low-cut so an inch of Kareen's skin was showing. Her feet and calves were incased in suede, wedge-heeled boots. Dory said she looked sexy, Kareen felt the outfit was a little over-the-top. Hell, she didn't want tonight to be the night, tonight was just the night she planned on letting Connor in on her little secret. She was still nervous about that…Would it really be as easy as Dory made it sound to just look him dead in the eye and say it? Could it really be that simple? There was much doubt in her mind as she waited for Connor to show up. It was five-fifty-three. He said he would be there at about six. Her patience, though usually a virtue of hers, was wearing thin. She wanted to get it over with…yet every time she thought about getting it over with she became nervous and didn't want to say a word. Kareen was extremely conflicted on the matter.

As she sat there on the stairs waiting for him, she contemplated what would happen that evening. She had three distinct ideas in her mind.

Scenario One: The couple will be sitting at a table towards the back of the restaurant. Dinner will pass by through easy conversation and while they sit there and chat, Kareen will drop the metaphorical bomb. Connor will be quiet, then understanding. He will tell her he is willing to wait until she feels she is ready. They would enjoy a few more drinks then walk back to the pub together where he would kiss her goodnight and be on his merry way.

Scenario Two: The couple will be sitting at a table towards the back oft eh restaurant. Dinner will pass by through easy conversation and while they sit there and chat, Kareen will drop the metaphorical bomb. Connor will be quiet. He won't say a word. When he finally does speak, it's to say that this was something he feared. He didn't deal with virgins…They would leave then and walked in silence back to the pub where he wouldn't say goodnight or kiss her goodbye before leaving, never to return again.

Scenario Three: The couple will be sitting at a table towards the back oft eh restaurant. Dinner will pass by through easy conversation and while they sit there and chat, Kareen will drop the metaphorical bomb. Connor will be quiet. Then, a small smirk will come to his face. He will ask for the check and take Kareen by the hand. Getting to the pub would be a hasty matter, but once there he would take her upstairs. In the apartment he would start to kiss her. His lips would move from hers to her neck to her chest. He would easily discard the sultry red top and the white bra that was beneath it. He would then take one of her—

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Kareen was pulled from her thoughts as a dark blush came to her cheeks. Going to the side-entrance, she smiled when she opened the door to reveal Connor waiting for her. It pleased her even more so to see him wearing the pea coat. Both brothers wore the coats regardless of the temperature and she could already tell they had been broken in after only two weeks of ownership. She smiled at him. "Hey."

Connor looked at her. _Where did she get __that__! _He thought in reference to the revealing red top. The Neanderthal Connor in the back of his mind was pounding his chest and saying _Me want lady! Lady pretty! Lady sexy! Me want fuck lady! _This of course was a thought he had to shove into a filing cabinet for later and mentally duct tape the mouth of the chest-pounder shut. Instead, Gentleman Connor stepped up and hit him over the head with a shiny black cane and said, in a rather posh British accent, _Tis cold, my good fellow! Offer the lovely lady your coat else she think you without manners! _Clearing his throat, Connor shrugged out of his jacket and held it to her. "Uh, et's kinda chilly tonight."

Kareen gave him a happy smile as he put the coat around her shoulders and thanked him. She pulled it about her as they headed down the street. _Just relax, Kareen, no need to get all flustered. Just wait until you've eaten then tell him. Pray to God for Scenario One…or perhaps Three…_A blush came across her cheeks.

"Why are ye goin' crimson?"

_Great…_She blushed a darker shade and quietly said, "Just thinkin' es all…So where are ye takin' me?"

He only smirked.

"Connor?"

His grin broadened.

She furrowed her brow. Kareen hated when she wasn't answered. "Connor, where are we goin'?"

In a very childish act, he drew his forefinger and thumb, pinched together, across his lips and turned an invisible key.

She practically growled in frustration. The woman loved a good surprise…so long as she hadn't already asked about it and the other person wasn't being so obviously tight-lipped.

The two continued walking for a bit. Connor, as usual, had a casual arm around her shoulders as he steered her through the busy streets. As any man would, his eyes occasionally drifted down to look at her chest. However, his reasoning wasn't completely about the primal act of sex, but more along the lines of _why?_ Why was she wearing an outfit that made him want to skip dinner and do as Neanderthal Connor wanted? The top was thin—far too thin for the autumn evening—and when the light hit it in just the right way he could see right through it. It definitely wasn't something usually seen amongst her wardrobe. The jeans were painfully low cut. He felt if she stretched backwards to loosen her back more than wanted would be should around the zipper and fly area of the pants. _What put this outfit in mind for a date? _He wondered as they approached their destination. With a smirk on his face, he gave her a little squeeze. "Thah's where we're goin'."

With anticipation alight in her eyes, Kareen looked at the restaurant. _The Cool Cat _looked like it had come through a magical portal from the 50's. It looked like it was the 'baddest joint' in town, the 'bomb,' a real 'hep' place to be. Her eyes went wide. She'd never been to a diner like it and knew they were a definite American thing. She gave him a big smile. "Ye're tryin' ta make me American, aren'tcha?"

"Me? Never!" He smirked at her. "Et's a pretty cool place." Taking her hand, he pulled to the diner. "C'mon."

In the diner a woman dressed in a poodle skirt showed them to a table. Kareen marveled at the place. From the sparkly tabletops to the vinyl-covered chairs to the posters on the wall to the music in the air, the place screamed "_50's!_" She liked it. The waitress in her saddle-shoes and hair tied up in a shear blue scarf took their drink orders.

Kareen giggled quietly as she looked around. It definitely wasn't a place you'd go on a romantic date. She smiled at him. "I've always wanted ta go ta a place like thes."

He smiled back and reached across the table. He started to play with her fingers. Settling with lacing his through hers, he gave her a grin. "You'll like it." His thumb ran along hers and he asked, "Whah's yer favorite 50's-based movie?"

She raised a brow and gave a little smile. "Es dere any other than _Grease_?"

He snorted. "Yew an' yer feckin' musicals!"

Her brows came together as she fixed him with a stare. "Aye! Me an' my feckin' musicals! Ya cin't go wrong wit' a good song-an'-dance!"

"Oh, no, of course not." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "But ye can go wrong when a frog's in de room."

She stuck her tongue out at him in a very childish act. "Yeah, yeah, me an' my froggie voice! Ye cin just plug yer ears when a song comes on ef et bothers ye dat much."

He laughed at her response. At least she knew her voice wasn't all that great. There was nothing he truly loathed more than someone who thought they would be the next big record-maker and they sounded like a cat being shaved. He gave her a big smile.

The waitress returned with their drinks and took their meal orders. Dinner passed just as Kareen divined it would. The meal went by with their usual playful banter and even a cheap shot or two at each other's pride. A smile never left Kareen's face. She positively adored Conner. He was funny and handsome. He always knew just what to do to make her smile. He knew where the lines in the sand were and never crossed them, even if he did poke at them with a toe. He was a perfect gentleman, but could have his perverted moments. She liked it. Kareen was not in love with Connor, no. Yet…she loved him. As a person and a friend, she loved him dearly just as she loved the girls at the pub or Murphy. He was, perhaps, just a little higher on the list than the other. He wasn't as high as her family, but he was getting there. She felt one day he might just be at the top of her list. With a smile, she wondered if he felt the same way.

When the waitress came and cleared their dishes she asked if the couple was interested in any dessert. A large stone fell into Kareen's stomach. After Connor ordered two chocolate malts and the woman bounced off, she stared at her hands. Anxiety coursed through her veins as she suddenly found her fingernails the most interesting things in the world.

"Y'alright?"

Her head snapped up. Connor was staring at her with a curious concern on his handsome features.

She returned his question with a strained smile. "I'm fine…"

_She's lying…_He thought as he watched as she returned to looking at her nails. There was obviously something on her mind, but he wouldn't push the matter. He felt she would let it be known soon enough.

Kareen sipped quietly at the cold treat on the table before her. It was good. Smooth and delicious. She always liked chocolate-flavored anything. What woman wasn't a sucker for chocolate?

Connor watched her. He could tell she was thinking about something and thinking hard..

Dory's words came to Kareen's mind. _"Just look him in the eyes and say 'Connor, babe, look, this is the thing. I have lied to you as to why I can't sleep with you because I'm still clinging to my V-Card and I don't want to just give it up to any guy!" _Taking in a breath, she began, going almost word for word with Dory. "Connor, this is the thing…"

His right brow rose curiously as she began to share her thoughts.

"I…um…I kinda lied ta yah."

His brows came together. "Whah about?" _Is she coming clean about her bullshit excuses?_

"When yah sorta suggested we…uh…take de matter ta de bedroom."

_Ah, she is coming clean. Let's see what happens. _The inner Mastermind Connor was now leaning his elbows on a table with his fingers laced together. Mastermind Connor was staring at the world over the edge of his fingers, waiting patiently for Kareen to continue. "Go on."

She gulped hard. "Ye see, I lied because, well…" She stared into the light brown shade of her chilly drink. _Just look him in the eyes and say it…_Looking at him, she felt slightly intimidated by the intense way he was staring at her. With a deep breath, she started again, "Et's not dat I donna want ta, believe me, I do. Et's dat…well…"

"Just say et."

_Alright. You asked for it, mister. _Locking eye with him, her voice was quiet enough that people in nearby booths wouldn't hear her. "I'm a virgin."

Just as she thought, he was quiet.

_Shit! Shit, shit, shit! He's gunna say somethin' and it isn't gunna be good!_

Laughter. Quiet, shoulder-shaking laughter.

Kareen's brows came together. "Whah are ye laughin' at?"

Connor gave her a big smile. "You! Ye're gettin' all worked up 'bout thes! I was worried et was somethin' else!"

"Else?"

He sighed and explained. "The other night ye were readin' a book, got all flustered, an' went upstairs. Well…I was curious an' ye left de book."

She was blushing furiously. "Ye read some o' et?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. I read a bet an' told Murph. Don't gimme dat look, ye know I tell 'im everythin'!" After she stop glaring at him, he continued. "He thought et was funny dat ye'd read shet like dat an' all, but we hadn't slept together an' dat ye kept giving me excuses. I was thought maybe ye just weren't interested or ye were bein' petty 'bout et."

Kareen leaned over and took his hand in her, a smile sparkling in her eyes. "Trust me, I'm interested an' I'm not bein' petty. I just want to be sure before, yah know? I know et's why Kian cheated on me. He wasn't willin' ta wait." She blushed a little and bit her lip. "I always wanted ta wait until I was married, yah know? Like a real good girl."

"Now?"

She smirked. "Now I just want him ta be de right guy an' et be de right moment."

At this Connor smiled. He didn't know if he was her Right Guy, but he wanted to be. There was nothing he wanted more than Kareen. _How does one become the Right Guy? What's he gotta do? Am I already her right guy? When is the Right Moment? I wonder…_

They finished off their desserts, paid the bill, and left. With his arm around her shoulder as always they walked back to the pub. The night was chilly and, even in the thick coat, Kareen was shivering slightly.

Outside the side-entrance they stopped. Kareen was taken off guard when Connor started to kiss her and pushed her gently against the brick wall. Her heart began to race. She didn't feel cold anymore. Now each shiver and tremble was one of a burning want within her. Her arms found their way around his neck. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts of him. _Oh, he is definitely the right guy. _Now all she needed was for the right moment.

Connor pulled back and a little half-grin was on his face. Her eyes were closed and her lips just slightly parted. He held her face in one hand, rubbing her cheek lightly with his thumb. "Open yer eyes."

Her lids slowly opened to reveal the verdant circles behind them.

He gave her another, but shorter, kiss. "I'll wait."

She smiled at him. He had no idea how much those two little words meant to her. With a happy little sigh, she nodded. "Good night."

"Good night."

They kissed once more before separating.

Kareen went inside and up to her bedroom. As she undressed, she rolled her eyes at the clothing. It had been pointless. There had been no reason to where something so outlandish. _Had he even noticed? _She smirked. _Of course he did. You know he did. _The smirk grew. _You liked that he did._

**A/N And he will wait, but how long will Kareen draw it out?**


	16. Murphy's Too White!

**A/N Thanks to all who have reviewed. I really love it when I see a knew review or two! It makes me go all smiley and happy! You guys rock!**

**I use the name of a Halloween store in this chapter called **_**Spirit Halloween. **_**It is a real store, however I am unsure of its beginning origins and when it first opened. I do not own **_**Spirit Halloween **_**and I am only using it for this chapter.**

**Think **_**Legally Blonde **_**for Dory!**

**Who can spot the Movie Connection? Where is it? Huh? Can yah find it?**

**Chapter Sixteen: Murphy's Too White!**

** One Week before Halloween**

The four waitresses of McGinty's were walking up and down the aisles of the seasonal store. _Spirit Halloween_ took over large, empty warehouse buildings for the second half of September and all of October. McGinty's celebrated Halloween every year. The employees would wear costumes and the place was decorated in orange and black. There would even be bowls of candy on the bar and tabletops. They even accepted trick-or-treaters until seven-thirty. Doc loved the kids and was a stickler for giving out high-quality goodies and king-sized candy bars. Any kid who went to McGinty's would walk away with enough candy to make a dentist faint. Now the four women were walking through the aisles looking for costumes to wear. They knew they should have gone when the store opened to get the best pick, but they had procrastinated horribly.

Dory smiled. "We should have a theme!"

Kareen raised a brow. "Huh?"

Ally gasped happily. "Yeah! You know, like we all have similar, but different costumes."

"What about mythical creatures? You know, like vampires and werewolves and stuff like that?"

"Nah." Ally said, brushing Jan's comment aside.

"Why not?" Kareen asked.

Dory smirked. "The three of use all were fairies last year. Too similar."

The brunette's mouth formed an understanding 'O' at her friend's words. She fingered through some costumes and pulled out a leopard one. It looked like a one-piece bathing suit in leopard print with ears and a tail to go with. The girl in the picture had matched it with black leggings and sexy heels. She turned to her friends. "Whah 'bout animals? We all go as our favorite?"

Ally took the costume from her. "If that's it, then I call dibs on this one! I love cats!"

Jan nodded in agreement. "That sounds perfect! Do you suppose they have a dog one?" She dove into the rack looking for a plastic bag that contained the costume she wanted.

Dory started her own search and came up with a rabbit costume. She smiled. "This is perfect! I've always liked bunnies!"

The redhead turned to Kareen. "What's your favorite animal?"

The woman shrugged. "Dunno really…I like squirrels, but I doubt dey've got one o' dose. Hmm…Or maybe a bird of some kind. I love birdsong."

Ally turned to the other girls. "Alright, you heard her, we need a costume that's bird related an—" She stopped a moment when Kareen whispered something in her ear. A smirk came to her face. "And it needs to be sexy."

The women nodded and dove into the racks of costumes looking for just the right costume. They came up with nothing. It was either too big, too small, or too outlandish and Kareen turned it down. Finally, Jan hollered out success. She showed the bag to Kareen, who smiled, instantly in love with the costume it held. Now that each girl had a costume they walked over to the accessories to pick out jewelry, shoes, gloves perhaps, and whatever makeup that would go along with it. There was plenty of stuff to choose from. The girls were even buying things that didn't go with their costumes just because they thought it would work with something else they owned!

Happy and content with their finds, the girls left the store and headed to the pub for a night of work as usual.

**Meanwhile…**

Connor and Murphy were in a party store that had become a Halloween paradise. It wasn't as large or high-scaled as _Spirit Halloween, _but they would be able to find whatever they were looking for. You see, Connor had insisted that the brothers actually dress up for Halloween this year much to the dismay of his brother.

"I don't see why ye wanna do thes."

"Because et's fun! C'mon man, et'll be fun!"

Murphy blew out a breath and rolled his eyes as he looked at the few costumes the store had to offer. "Ye've lost it. Why can't we just go as fraternal twin brothers?"

"Oh yeah, Murph, real original!"

"I'm just sayin'!"

Connor picked up a cape and thought a minute of every vampire movie he'd ever seen. He smirked. "I dunno 'bout yew, but I'm goin' as a vampire."

Murphy smirked as he lifted a bagged costume to show his brother. "Den I'm goin' as thes!"

"Oh haha, but et's fittin'! I see ye're finally gettin' ento de spirit wit' thes!"

The brothers grabbed what they wanted and headed for the register.

Murphy pulled out his wallet and asked his brother. "Whah do ye suppose yer Kareen will go as?"

Connor chuckled. "Somethin' modest. I can almost see 'er goin' as a nun!"

The two men shared a laugh as they walked out of the store and into the chilly afternoon air of Boston in October. They jostled back and forth, joking about the upcoming holiday and even putting bets on who would be the one to fall into the sugar induced coma that ear. Connor had been the one with the sore stomach the year before and Murphy was certain his sweet-tooth having brother would get another tummy ache this year. However, the hazel-eyed twin was certain it would be his brother this year. There was no way he was having too much sweetness this year. No way!

**Halloween Day**

Kareen was in the pub setting up the decorations and the bowls of candy. Each table had a small, half-gallon sized cauldron-shaped bowls that she filled with a variety of different things. Some bowls got lollipops, some bowls got chocolate bits, other had mini candy bars, and some had gum. She was certain to make sure an even amount of each kind of candy was in the bowls before mixing the rest together and pouring it into three gallon-and-a-half sized cauldrons for the bar. When that was done she started hanging up the decorations. Jack-o-lantern cut-outs hung from the ceiling along with bats and black cats. She sprinkled some Halloween-themed confetti around the floor and tables. With a smile, she whistled a tune as she worked. Kareen had the singing voice of a frog, but whistled as pretty as a bird. Tit for tat, one could say. The pub wouldn't be open until six that evening so she still had a couple hours to finish getting the place ready than get herself ready. With a smile, she put the _Trick-or-Treaters Welcome! Please knock! Kids welcome until 7:30! _signs in the front window and the door. Taking a few decorations outside she hung up some cut-outs and set the electric jack-o-lanterns she had bought at a party store.

As she was walking inside the three other employees of McGinty's arrived with smiles and hugs for the brunette. They had agreed on getting ready together so they could do each other's makeup and hair and the likes. All smiles and laughter the four raced upstairs like a horde of teenage girls talking about their crushes.

Doc, who was sitting on the comfortable couch, smiled at the girls. "Hello girls."

"Hey Doc!"

"'Sup FuckAss?

"Happy Halloween Doc!"

As the other three ran to the bedroom, Kareen stopped a moment. "We're gunna get ready. Do ye need any help gettin' yerself ready? Whah are ye wearin' anyway?"

Doc smiled at his niece. "I wear de same ting every year. I go as Doc from Snow White."

Kareen laughed. "How fittin'!" With that she went back to her bedroom.

There, the girls were lounging on her bed and in the overstuffed chair.

Ally was fingering her books. "Wow. Yah got enough books, there Kareen?"

Dory smirked. "I told you she could start her own library!"

The brunette rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. "Whahever, let's get ready."

The three girls all changed into their costumes. It was five o'clock and they had an hour for hair and makeup.

Ally adored her leopard outfit. She wore black leggings under the speckled leotard and had the most fun twirling her knee-length tail around. With practiced hands she tossed her curly red hair around to give it a fluffed, wild look before putting on the cat-ear headband. She used the face paint they had gotten to blacken the tip of her nose and draw on some whiskers. With easy strokes she applied an orangey-yellow eye-shadow that matched the speckles on her leotard.

Jan was in a skin-tight tan dress that was a couple inches shorter than fingertip length. With it she wore knee-high tan suede boots that matched the dress in color. There was a spot on the dress to attach the short, Labrador-styled tail. She did nothing special with her hair other than put on the headband with its floppy tan dog ears. Like Ally, she blackened her nose, but instead of whiskers she just put the freckle-like dots on her cheeks. She didn't put on any makeup outside of a touch of clear gloss.

Dory was by far the sexiest outfit. Her outfit was a strapless leotard of a shimmery pinky-white with pink fluff around the edges. There was a fluffy puff of a tail at the small of her back. She matched it with sheer pink stockings and dangerous looking silver stilettos. The rabbit ears sat easily on her head after she styled her straight hair into curly waves. She put on pink gloss and eye-shadow and used a light pink paint to give herself a rabbit's nose. She showed the most skin out of the four of them and she did it with no shame whatsoever!

Kareen was the last to be completely ready. She wore a body-hugging, fingertip-length sky blue crushed-velvet dress. At the small of her back fake peacock feathers fell in a downward curve to lightly brush the floor. The feathers were held in place by a silver belt around her hips. She wore short silvery heels along with it all. All she did to her hair was part it down the side and put in the special clip that came with the outfit. It clipped to the crest of the head and had a few peacock feathers coming off it. Since she had no skills with makeup Ally applied a light blue eye-shadow and applied a stick-on gem at the outer corner of each of her eyes.

When the girls were done it was time to head downstairs and open up the pub. All four of them laughed at Doc's Doc costume. He wore the tan breeches and a red shirt that was rolled up to the elbows with its yellow-gold buttons and a black belt around the middle. On his head there was a yellow-tan cap that resembled a sleeping cap that matched the soft shoes he wore. A fake beard was on his face that looked almost natural on the old Irishman. Each girl kissed his cheek and applauded how well the man looked at Doc.

An hour later it was Kareen turn to hand out the candy to the coming children. Many of them said she was a pretty bird, which made her smile and thank them as she put the candy bars in their buckets and bags. She was just about to turn back inside when she saw two be-costumed men walking up the alley to the bar. To stifle the giggles that began to bubble from within her she had to cover her mouth with a hand. A rather convincing vampire was strolling towards her with a black cape billowing behind him. Beside him was a man dressed in all black with a long trench-coat of sorts and what looked like a bullet-proof vest. He had "silver" stakes strapped to a belt, sunglasses on, and a plastic gun strapped to his hip.

Connor looked at the gorgeous woman dressed as a beautiful bird and thought it was someone else before realizing it was, indeed, his Kareen. He smiled at her and pulled her into his arms. "Mmm I vant to kees ze pretty lady." His voice took on a Eastern European accent like every Dracula wannabe out there.

She giggled and smiled up at him. Connor had faux blood dripping from the corners of his mouth. She noticed that the fake fangs in his mouth were the good kind that one use a sort of cement that molds to the teeth, but doesn't stick them there with no hope of removal. She chuckled and said, "I would, but ye got a little somethin' right 'bout dere." She lightly touched the corner of his mouth.

From a few feet away, Murphy brandished the toy gun at Connor. "Demon! Step away from de human!"

Connor, laughing and acting back, hissed at his brother.

Kareen laughed and smiled at Murphy. "Who are ye s'posed ta be?"

He stood like Superman and announced, "I'm Blade!" He spoke, of course, of the character from the movie that had come out earlier in the year.

She snorted. "Yer too white!"

The trio laughed before walking into the pub. The twins went to the bar to the laughter of their friends who were there. Kareen took her spot behind the bar and looked around. Many people were all dressed up. There were a few vampires, a werewolf or two, a witch, a prisoner, and a cop. Drinks flowed freely and people happily drank themselves into a raucous bunch. Drinking games were played, Halloween music played through the radio, candy was devoured and laughter rang out loud and clear. The only two holidays that were bigger than Halloween for the pub were St. Patrick's Day and New Years. Naturally, St. Patty's was the biggest night of all for the Irish pub.

The evening began to die down as people left. It was around midnight when Kareen was sitting on the bar-top, one leg crossed over the other at the knee, chatting easily with the brothers and their friends. They were laughing and enjoying their evening greatly. It seemed one of their friends, a long-haired guy with a chin full of hair (not Rocco), would be going home with a blonde waitress in a sexy bunny outfit. They were connecting fiercely at the lips, much to the laugher of everyone else. The two making out gave everyone the finger.

More people left, including the waitress and the brothers' friend, and the bar was almost empty save the brothers, the McGinty's, a few of their friend, and the other two waitresses.

Kareen got Ally and Jan's attention. "Ye two go on home. We can close up wit'out yah."

The two sighed in relief, happy to get home and out of the high-heels and into comfortable pajamas. They left within minutes of being told to go.

Doc was entertaining Murphy and the others while Connor and Kareen slipped to the other end of the bar for a quieter, more private chat.

She smiled at him from where she sat on the bar. "Happy Halloween, Connor." She held up a piece of chocolate candy.

He laughed and took the treat from her.

Before either of them knew it they were connected at the lips, kissing each other softly. As Connor moved from her lips to her jaw, Kareen closed her eyes and smiled. She loved the warm feeling he put in the pit of her stomach. Her head tilted to the side, allowing him better access at her throat. She laughed when he said something in that Gad-awful accent about sucking her neck. A thought flashed through her mind that made her grin and her heart race. Leaning her head in, she lightly kissed the spot just below his ear after whispering something to him.

Rocco, who was dressed as a 40's style gangster, turned his head to look at the couple. He nudged a buddy in the ribs and nodded to the two at the other end of the bar. The buddy nudged Murphy. Soon everyone was watching as the girl hopped off the bar and took Connor's hand. They all whistled and called encouragement as Kareen led Connor upstairs.

"Yeah Conn! You get that girl!

Murphy whistled after them. "'Bout fuckin' time!"

Rocco laughed. "Careful man! Be sure she doesn't hit her head on the wall too much!"

Everyone roared with laughter.

Doc watched the two go upstairs with a little smirk on his wrinkled face. He had gotten over whatever discontent he felt towards the man dating his niece. Hell, he was happy it was one of the twins instead of some other guy he didn't know. The boys were like family and therefore they were good enough for his beloved Kareen. He knew Connor was good for the lass. She needed someone like him; someone who was also lost in a bit of a fantasy world from all the movies, but still knew where the line was to be drawn. He was the right mix for her.

**Upstairs…**

Half of Connor's Halloween get-up was on her bedroom floor along with her shoes and feathery accessories. He was running his hand through her hair and over her shoulders as they kissed passionately. He could feel her trembling. Was she nervous? Anxious? Or impassioned? It didn't matter, really. He went slowly with her, taking his time and never pushing or rushing the situation.

Kareen wasn't sure why she was trembling, either. She didn't know if it was nerves or passion. Perhaps both…It was when they both lay on the bed, Connor hovering above her, did she realize he was the right choice. It was like something from one of her books. He, the experienced one, and she, the trusting virgin, were like characters from a novel. She only hoped it would be as fantastic as the heroines in her books found it to be.

It was. Of course, it hurt at first, but she had been expecting that. Never in a book had the virgin become deflowered without some kind of pain. However, it wasn't as bad as some authors depicted, but went away as quickly as they said. After that, it was pure heaven.

Kareen fell asleep that night wrapped in Connor's strong arms and with a happy smile on her pretty face.

**A/N Sooo…Reviews? Please? I love you! Please, please, please!**


	17. Breakfast Sounds Delicious

**A/N Ooooh I'm all flavors of giggly! He may be an android, but he's a fully functional one! This girl has the hots for Data Soong of Star Trek: The Next Generation! Mmmm He is yummy! Bawhahahaha!**

**Chapter Seventeen: Breakfast Sounds **_**Delicious**_

Connor woke up the following morning and looked around. He didn't recognize the clean, almost immaculate room at first until he heard the soft breathing and felt the warmth of someone sleeping close to him. His left arm was under his head while his right arm was draped across Kareen's middle. A smile spread over his features as he carefully brought his left hand out and moved aside some of her hair that was splashed across her shoulder and neck. Dipping his head down, he gently kissed the bare flesh he had exposed. It was while he was paying particular attention to her neck that she finally began to stir.

Kareen sighed and gave a quiet whimper as she started to wake up. She opened her eyes blearily and turned to look at the man lying in her bed behind her. A smile came to her face. "Mornin'." She turned over so her body was facing his. Tilting her head back, she pressed her lips to his.

He happily returned the kiss. When they broke apart, he pulled her closer to his person. "Good mornin'. Sleep well?" He asked after pressing another quick kiss to her soft lips.

"Mmm, very well. Best en ages, really." She snuggled against him. Kareen didn't want to leave her bedroom, or her bed for that matter, all day. She would give anything to lie in his arms for the rest of the day and be lazy. Then again, she wasn't the only one who lived in the apartment and she had things to do. She sighed in frustration. "I donna wanna get up…but I hafta…The pub needs cleanin', I know dere are dishes en de sink, an' I need ta do laun—" Her words were stopped by a kiss.

When Connor pulled away he was laughing quietly at her. "Shut up. Ye don't hafta do everythin'." He kissed the tip of her nose. "En fact, today y'aren't doin' shet. I'm makin' ye take a day fer yerself."

She smiled at him. Oh how she loved when he put his foot down and blatantly told her _No. _It was nice. "Alright den, whah am I doin' taday since ye seem en control o' thes."

He thought a moment before chuckling. "Exactly whah I said. Y'aren't doin' shet taday. Yer gunna stay en thes bad an' take a day all to yerself." He winked at her. "I'm sure ye'll need yer rest after last night."

Kareen blushed furiously and swatted his arm. "Connor!"

"Whah? Ye know, ye're more vocal then I thought ye'd be! I'm surprised de guys downstairs didn't hear et all."

"_Connor_!"

He laughed at her and gave her a little squeeze. "Oh, ye know I'm just messin' wit' yah." He pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

The kiss soon became heated as the two rolled so she was lying halfway on his chest and halfway on the bed. Her hands were resting on his chest while her hair fell around them in a curtain. His arms wrapped around her body as his hands roamed the contours of her back.

A knock sounded at the door, popping the bubble that had begun to form around the two of them.

"Kar-r-reen, are ye awake?"

She heaved a sigh, wishing her uncle would go away. "Aye, I'm—we're—awake." Beneath her she felt Connor shake with silent mirth at the situation. She smiled down at him.

"R-Right…Will ye be wantin' breakfast? Et es almost eleven."

That comment made her snap her head around to look at the alarm clock on her nightstand. It was, indeed, almost eleven in the morning. She had slept nearly three hours longer than she usually did. "Wow…Um…I dunno, Uncle Ian…" She looked down at the man beneath her, suddenly feeling very awkward about the whole ordeal. "Do ye want breakfast?"

Connor, unable to resist, shook his head and buried his face into her neck. "Mmm if ye're on de menu, den aye, breakfast sounds…_delicious_…" He chuckled deep in his throat as he kissed her neck.

Kareen wiggled against him. Her voice came out in a harsh whisper and she berated him, "_Connor!_"

He just chuckled and refused to leave her neck.

She swallowed hard and called out to her uncle. "Uh…No, we're fine. I'll…uh…be out en a bet…"

Doc shook his head and walked away from her door. _Ah, to be young…_He thought as he grabbed his old hat and cane. _Best leave them alone._ He didn't even call out to tell her he was going out and would be back later.

Kareen heard the door shut and a small smile spread over her face. She went back to kissing the man in her bed. That was all she felt like doing. Well…perhaps not _all_ she felt like _doing_. As it happened the two didn't leave the bed for some time. However, Kareen did get a little peeved when she realized that her bedspread had turned sideways. Once it was fixed the game was back on! The blanket had to be fixed more than once…

Some time later Kareen was stretched out on the bed on her stomach while Connor ran his fingers along her back and played with her hair. She chuckled happily as he pressed the occasional kiss to her back. With a smile and a content sigh, she closed her eyes. "Ye know…We should probably shower…"

He chuckled. "Aye, but I fear ef we do…we'll just need another."

Kareen giggled and blushed. He was right, of course. Burying her face in the pillow she thought about characters in her books that slept with a guy for the first time. They all got hooked on the feeling and glorious sensation that was sex. She chuckled to herself as she realized she was probably amongst them now. It was a fantastic feeling…She rolled back over and smiled at him. "We still need a shower."

With a playful huff, he gave in. "Fine."

Just as Connor said, Kareen did absolutely nothing all day. She took the day to herself. She didn't clean a thing or fix a damn thing that was wrong. No, she relaxed for one day, lounging about the apartment with Connor as they watched movies and were perfectly lazy. It was good.

When Connor made to leave, she pouted, but let it be. Before he could leave, however, she went to her bedroom and grabbed a novel off her bookshelf.

Kareen put the thick book in his hands. "Alright, I know y'aren't a big reader, but I tink ye'll really like et."

Looking down, Connor found _Gone with the Wind _in his hands. He raised a brow at her. "Really?"

She chuckled. "Just give et a shot. Et's fantastic. Please, fer me?" She gave a sweet little pout. Kareen had been waiting for the right moment to try and get him to read her favorite book. A person could see the movie, but reading the book opened windows and let so much more light in than the dim bulb hanging off a string in the middle of the room.

He waved the book a bit. "Alright, but only fer yew."

Kareen smiled and gave him a kiss. "Fantastic."

With one last kiss Connor left. The second he was out the door Kareen exploded in a fury of _Gotta get shit done! _The relaxation was nice, but now that she wasn't being told no she could finally get all the stuff done that she needed to. Not to mention it was a Sunday and she'd missed church! What a horrid thing to do! Miss church because you're shagging your boyfriend! What would God think?

**A Few Days Later**

The pub hadn't opened just yet. There was still about an hour until the doors would be unlocked and the first few right-out-of-work patrons would come in for a much needed drink. Kareen was sweeping up the floor, surprised that she was still finding little bits of confetti and the occasional candy wrapper. She was certain she had gotten it all up! With a happy smile she shrugged the thought away and went back to her task. Her ears twitched a little, as ears do when silence is broken, when the side entrance opened and in walked the three waitresses.

With a curious brow raised, she called out, "Ye're early, girls."

The pixie-cut blonde smiled. "Yeah, but that's because we needed to be. We haven't been able to get you alone for five minutes the last couple of days and we must know!" She was bouncing with anticipation.

Ally beamed a smile. "C'mon then, tell us! Did you finally take scissors to your precious V-Card?"

Kareen set the broom aside and shook her head as she laughed. "Nosy, much?"

Dory hopped up on a stool. "Yes, we are! Now tell us!"

The brunette looked at the waiting faces of her friends and a smile spread over her face. "Yes."

They squealed in delight.

"Tell us _everything!_"

"Was it good? Oh I bet Connor is fantastic in bed!"

"Jan! Don't go fantasizing about Kareen's man! Oh but you're probably right!"

"C'mon Kareen, spill! Spill!"

The woman in question was taken aback by the barrage of demands from her friends. She hopped up onto a stool. Suddenly, she felt something bubbling in her stomach. With a breath, it came out of her. "It was amazin'!" She began to blather on like any girl talking about sex. "Et did hurt, dough, at first."

The three women nodded and agreed with her that it always hurts the first time.

"Then et was just _amazin'! _Dere es nothin' en de world like et!"

Ally giggled. "Of course there isn't! Now, was he good? Every first-time can feel good, but was he _really _good?"

Kareen smirked. "Every time."

"Every time?" Jan asked. "Just how many is 'every'?"

"Uh…Let's see. Once before we fell asleep, den en de mornin' another couple times…We took a shower dat was pointless…Um…I dunno, a good few I guess."

Dory chuckled and patted Kareen's knee. "Careful, love, don't need to get all addicted. After a while it looses its splendor if you overdo it."

Ally and Jan nodded their agreement.

A thought came to the redhead's mind. She cleared her throat. "Uh, Kareen dear, you and Connor did use protection, right?"

Kareen thought a minute than shook her head. "No."

Jan's eyes widened. "But what if you get knocked up?"

The brunette shrugged. "Den I have a baby. I'm not worried 'bout et, really I'm not. I've always wanted kids an' I don't care ef he does knock me up. He could be an ass an' not want anythin' ta do wit' de babe or be a stand-up guy, et doesn't matter." She smiled. "I really don't tink et happened, dough."

"What makes you so sure? It's only been a couple days, Kareen."

"Dory has a point, hun. You can't just know like that."

"Well, either way, I'm not worried."

The pub opened and work came and went for the four friends. As usual, the MacManus brothers came sauntering in for a good drink and to see their friends. Everyone was in high spirits as they enjoyed their spirits. Life was good without a worry or care amongst them.

Time began to pass; day by day it went right on by McGinty's. Smiles never left faces and laughter always flowed freely at the happy pub.

The only smile that suddenly disappeared was Connor's happy grin. There was something on his mind. One night, about two weeks after he and Kareen had slept together and spent most of the following day in the bedroom, he approached her. He had never seen her so happy. That pretty smile still there, those green eyes glistening with a joy that was infectious. He gave her a weak smile. "Hey."

She beamed a smile at him after serving someone their drink. "Hey."

"So…I was wonderin' 'bout somethin'."

With a brow raised, she asked, "Yeah? Whah 'bout?"

He looked very uncomfortable with the situation.

Kareen's brows came together. "Connor, whah es et?"

"We…uh…didn't use a johnny…"

She chuckled and leaned over the bar to give him a kiss. When she pulled back, she had a hand on his cheek and a little smile on her face. "Don't worry. I've got de painters en."

She laughed when he suddenly looked extremely relieved. Kareen knew Connor wouldn't mind kids…later. Lots of guys were like him. They were the guys who wanted to enjoy their twenties then start the whole family bit in their thirties. Kareen knew this and it didn't bother her at all. Hell, she hardly thought of it seeing as how she doubted she would be the one to start a family with Connor.

Kareen suddenly blinked. _Why the hell am I thinkin' about that? I need to just stop…_

**A/N I believe all girls have been in Kareen's position before. They're with a guy and suddenly they're doodling his last name in their notebooks and thinking of baby names. It happens to all of us. Hell! It happened to me! I have a terrible habit of that and it quickly makes the relationship die. Gotta kick the habit!**

**Johnny—Condom**

"**Have the painters in"—Monthly flow**


	18. How Bad Could It Be?

**A/N Hey guys! How are yah? I'm good! Anyway, so I give unto you chapter eighteen and I dearly hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter Eighteen: How Bad Could It Be?**

Connor and Murphy MacManus stood before the massive building. They stared up at the sign and their eyes fell slowly to the wall of doors that lead into the establishment. Two things were running through their minds at that very moment. One was that they swore up and down they would never set foot into such a place like a couple of Nancy's. The other was a mixture of fear and curiosity for what lay behind the glass doors. Looking to each other they nodded and headed for the doors and to their imminent doom…or so they felt about it. With a frown they pushed the doors before them open and stepped into the building. Both felt a sudden wave of annoyance and a headache coming on the second they entered the dreaded mall.

Murphy looked to his brother. "So…Whah are ye thinkin o' gettin'?"

"Not a fuckin' clue."

They started a slow path around the collection of stores, occasionally glancing in to see if there was anything of interest.

"Why not a book?"

"She's got a shet ton of 'em! I'd probably get 'er one she's got er already read." He groaned in frustration as they passed a kiosk where a woman was trying to get the men to purchase some special kind of lotion. With a frown, he turned to his brother and asked, "De hell yah get a girl fer her birthday, anyway?"

Murphy shrugged. "Candy? Roses? Jewelry?"

Connor gave his brother a shove. "Dat's Valentines Day, ye feckin' twit! C'mon man, et's gotta be somethin', I dunno, meanin'full an' shit…" He was looking into every store and trying to see if there was anything he thought that would strike Kareen's fancy.

"I say ye go wit' jewelry. Jewelry always works. Girls love shiny things."

"Yeah, but whah would I get 'er? She don't wear no other necklace but 'er cross. Earrings er a bracelet, den?" Connor groaned again in frustration. He hated shopping for anything aside from food. Clothes even bothered him. He knew his size, went in, grabbed basic colors in anything, then bought the shit and walked out. Connor had never spent more than half an hour in any store his entire life.

His brother gave him a nudge. "Why not check out dat jewelry place over dere? Ye never know, man."

The man shot his brother a sideways glance. How the fuck did Murphy know what chicks liked and where to get it and all that shit? Wasn't _he_, Connor Liam MacManus, the one with more notches in his bedpost, so to speak? He blew out a breath and nodded. "Aye, ye're probably right. Go on, I'll meet up wit' cha later."

Murphy nodded and went off to do his own thing. It wasn't ten seconds that he left his brother's side that the vultures descended.

"Good afternoon, sir! Would you like to try some of our—"

"Sir the dark blue of that coat looks mighty fine on you, perhaps you would like to see—"

"Hello sir, would you be interested in—"

Like a terrified rabbit surrounded by a pack of wild dogs Murphy lit a fire under his ass and booked it for the nearest exit. He needed a cigarette…and all they had done was ask him if he wanted to try or look at their product.

Connor made his way across the oversized hall and to the jewelry store. It seemed rather high-end and he was tempted to walk right back out. He honestly had no clue what was right, too much, or not enough.

"May I help you today, sir?"

His eyes flashed up to see a slightly over-sized woman in about her mid-forties with graying light orange hair on the other side of the glass, jewelry-filled case. Her attire was business-like with her dark pants-suit. In her ears and around her neck she wore what looked like it had come from the showcases around the room. The nametag on she wore read _Holly_. She had a smile on her face that seemed to express her understanding of his situation. He smiled weakly and answered, "I hope so."

Holly laughed a happy laugh and began to ask him the questions her job required. "Alright, who are you looking to possibly buy for?"

"Me girlfriend Kareen."

"Oh what a pretty name. Tell me a little about Kareen." At the confused look on his face, she chuckled. "We must match whatever you want to the girl. You can't go giving something simple to an extravagant girl and vice versa, now can you?"

Connor shook his head. "No, I suppose not." Thinking a moment about the dark-haired and green-eyed woman, he smirked a little. "She ain't extravagant, more like practical. Kareen's sorta simple, but not really at de same time. Yah see, she's probably de most beautiful girl ye'd ever meet en yer life."

The woman smiled. "Don't all men think that of their ladies?"

"Oh no, ma'am, she really es dat beautiful. She's got thes long, shiny, dark brown hair an' eyes as green as de rollin' hills o' Ireland. She _es_ the _most_ beautiful woman ever."

Holly nodded in appreciation. He did seem adamant on the beauty of this girl. She thought a moment. A little smile came to her face. "Well, we can't give her something that does not compare to her beauty. It must also be something she would see and want. We'll start with something simple: what is her favorite color?"

Connor pictured his girlfriend in his mind. She wore a great deal of purple however…he felt it wasn't her favorite…The cross she wore about her neck came to mind. It was silver with a little sapphire in the center. Perhaps… "Uh…Blue, I think. She's wears a necklace all de time wit' a sapphire en et. She told me her grandma gave et ta her."

"Good! We'll go with the blue. It's two birds with one stone." She laughed at the confusion that again played over his feature. "You see, when a girl tells a guy she's with how important a little something is to her she does it in hopes he remembers. If you give her something with a sapphire it would show you a) listened to her and b) you noticed the necklace and took it into consideration."

"Oooh."

Holly made a decision then and there to shape the gift around this necklace. "Tell me more about the necklace."

Connor furrowed his brow as he thought. Nodding slightly, he began talking, "Well, she never takes et off. I've never seen et off 'er neck er any other necklace en ets place. I'm pretty sure et's silver. Dere's a sapphire in de center.. Um…Thin chain, definitely a woman's necklace. Sometimes she plays wit' et when she's bored er thinkin'. Oh, an' ets a cross."

The woman taped her chin with a forefinger and thought and the necklace. She could picture it easily in her mind. It was a simple thing, but pretty. Something to match it, perhaps…. "You say she never takes it off. Ever?"

"Ever."

"Well then we can rule out a necklace. What about earrings? Does she wear earrings often?"

Come to think of it, he didn't even know if her ears were pierced! He couldn't recall ever seeing her with hoops or studs or dangling earrings. He shrugged. "I dunno. Guess I never noticed."

She frowned. "Then no earrings. If you aren't positive she would wear them, you can't get a pair for her. A bracelet is what we'll go with. Follow me." She walked across the store with Connor on her heels to a set of glass cases. "This is our current selection of bracelets. Now it gets serious. What occasion are you shopping for? Anniversary? Birthday? A surprise gift?"

"Birthday."

"She'll be how old?"

"Twenty-four."

"Kareen is a slender woman, yes?"

"Aye."

Holly looked about the store at the other saleswomen there. "Do any of these women match her shape? We want to be sure the bracelet fits, of course."

As Connor looked around he had a sudden feeling of dread that he was about to spend serious money. Holly seemed so certain she could find exactly what he was looking for…even if he didn't know what it was. He pointed to a blonde behind the counter who wasn't doing much. "She's about Kareen's size."

"Claire! I'll need your help in a bit, stay open."

The blonde nodded. "Right, gotcha Holly!"

Holly turned back to Connor. "Alright, now what are you trying to say with the gift?"

He blew out a breath. What was he trying to say? Rubbing the back of his head, he said, "Well, I really like Kareen. She's a great lass, de best even. I wanna let her know dat. Yah know, tell 'er I'm gunna be 'round as long as I can, but not make et look like I want 'forever' just yet."

She chuckled. "How long have you two been together?"

Connor thought for a moment. It was mid-November. He had made it official on August first. That a little over four months ago. However, they had been dating since about mid-July. "Not long, I suppose. It's been just about five months, really."

Holly thought about it before continuing her interrogation, "Not long at all, but you say you really, really like girl."

"Aye."

"You don't quite love her yet?"

He shook his head slightly. "No, I don't love 'er…Not yet, at least. I could, though."

She smiled. "How sweet. Okay, have you told her how much you care for her?"

"Uh…She probably knows, so—Ow! Whah was dat for!"

Holly had just slapped his hand. She tutted and shook her head. "She may know, but she still wants to hear you say it. Now, you obviously haven't told her. Would you want this to tell her?"

He nodded. "I s'pose."

She looked in the display cases and thought a minute. "You said she's practical? How so?"

"Kareen isn't…flashy. She wears basic jeans or long skirts and polo shirts. For what I've noticed most of her shoes are pretty simple, too," he told her, feeling quite well that he could recall such facts he usually though unimportant.

Holly waved a hand at one display case. "Those simply won't do. Too much."

Connor looked into the case and agreed…but for a different reason. They just _looked_ like they would cost an arm and a leg! They were all glittery with diamond (or so he guessed) bits between large gems. There was no way he could afford something like that…

"What about this?"

He was pulled from his musings and turned around. The woman was holding up a fixed silver band. It was the kind of bracelet that had a hinge and was a fixed loop. It was pretty. A thin silver band that split just a bit before the three dark blue gems was before him. The outer two gems were slightly smaller than the center one, but none were very large. He had to admit it was a lovely bracelet.

"Just think. It's simple and practical, not flashy and extravagant. A woman could wear a bracelet like this daily without it clashing with her clothing or seeming too nice. Also, it already matches her most prized bit of jewelry as it is! Your Kareen would see this and think how you really thought about it…or endured the torment of jewelry shopping until you found the perfect thing."

Connor looked at her and there was a glimmer in the woman's eye. She knew this wasn't something he understood. However…there was one thing still left to determine about this bracelet. "How much? Arm an' a leg? Do I hafta sell a kidney? Promise you my first born child? Wait! I'll give you my brother!"

Holly was laughing at the man and shaking her head. "No, no, nothing like that! However," she was still recovering from her laughter, "are you right- or left-handed?"

"Uh…Right, why?"

She chuckled. "This will probably cost your left arm up to the elbow. It's not cheap, but then again quality jewelry never is. And, as cliché as it sounds, can you put a price on your darling Kareen?"

He snorted. "Very cliché…but no…"

Holly turned and called to the blonde from earlier, "Claire! C'mere a moment."

The blonde bounced over happily and smiled at the two. "Yeah?"

"A wrist, if you would please."

"Alright." She held out a hand.

Holly put the bracelet on the girl's wrist. It fit nicely. She removed the bracelet, told the girl she could return to what she was doing, and turned to Connor with a smile. "There. If you really want it, this should fit your Kareen in almost every way. Would you like it, sir?"

He held the bracelet in his fingers, inspecting it suddenly with the eye of a trained jeweler. The stones gleamed bright and clear. The silver of the band was unmarred in anyway. Kareen came to mind. He could picture her wearing it and that made him feel all weird inside. It was a feeling he was unaccustomed to. It was this strange mixture of pride and joy, the kind of feeling a man would get seeing his son ride a bike for the first time or, well, when a woman he really likes actually uses what he gives her. _Does Kareen feel like that when me an' Murph wear the coats? _That was a new thought! He was certain she did. Connor nodded to himself. Now he could repay the favor or something like that. He couldn't get her a coat or anything, but maybe the bracelet…He pondered a good while on the pros and cons of purchasing the jewelry.

Suddenly Murphy appeared! "Dude, we gotta go! I need ta get outta here! Dey won't _stop_!" He noticed the bracelet in his brother's hand. He nodded to it. "Pretty. Anyway, c'mon man, thes place es drivin' me up de feckin' wall!"

Holly raised a brow.

Connor rolled his eyes. "The brother I was willin' ta give yah in payment." He looked down at the bracelet and nodded. "Right, I'll take et."

The woman clapped happily. "Wonderful! I'm sure your Kareen will love it! If you will come over here we can make the purchase final."

After the purchase was made the brothers left the mall.

Murphy was twitching. "Don't ever make me do dat again!"

Connor raised a brow. "The fuck es wrong wit' cha?"

"Ye didn't see whah I saw! Ye didn't have people comin' up and askin' yah if yah wanted ta try thes and thah! Ye have no idea the hell I went through!"

Blinking hazel eyes slowly, Connor said, "Dude…Ye were alone for all of 'bout forty-five minutes…How bad could et be?"

"How bad could et be? _How bad could et BE!_" Murphy was almost red with the force of his shout. "Ye're a fuckin' ass! Next time, man up and go a-fuckin'-lone!"

As they made their way through the streets the blue-eyed twin continued to fume while his brother couldn't help but laugh.

**A/N What? Where's Kareen! Oh that's right, she ain't here! Just a Brothers MacManus chapter :) **


	19. Geriatric Twins Swinging Canes

**A/N Alright now it's a battle between creativity and time! I want to finish this fanfiction before school starts and that is in about two weeks! Can I do it? I sure as hell hope so! Now, my beloved readers, when school does start my updates will be slower on any other existing fanfiction I have at the time. This is perfectly understandable, yes? Good! Now, let's boogey!**

**Chapter Nineteen: Geriatric Twins Swinging Canes**

People were gathered in McGinty's before the pub even opened on the twenty-fourth of November. There was a little party going on. Nothing huge. Just a little bit of spiked (thanks to the twins) punch and chips with dip. Dessert would come later. What was the occasion, one may ask? Well, it was Kareen's twenty-fourth birthday. Doc and the waitresses had convinced her to at least have a little party so friends could come and wish her a happy birthday and whatnot. Kareen loved parties and loved to give them…but not if they were in her honor. She was still shy and still disliked that feeling of being the center of attention. However they had insisted so there was nothing she could to but agree. Now she was sitting on a barstool with people around her, a drink in her hand and an unwrapped gift in her face.

"C'mon Kareen, mine first!" The voice was a heavily accented in the Boston way.

She looked up at the long-haired, bearded man that was David Della Rocco. She just knew it was going to be something ridiculous and probably a gag of some kind. What else would a person expect from Rocco? Laughing and taking the gift she found it was much heavier than expected. Kareen set aside her drink and focused on the gift. "De hell es et?" She tore off the paper, not being one of those girls who wanted it to stay pretty so she could save it for later. The paper was put there to be torn! A shoebox was beneath the colorful paper and ribbons. Men's boots were depicted on the front. She smirked up at Rocco. "Aw Roc! How sweet! But I donna tink dey'll fit…" A laugh played all through her words.

He laughed. Rocco was honestly proud of her joke. He did love when people could pull a decent joke out of nowhere. "C'mon, just open it! I know you'll like it."

Kareen smiled and flipped the lid off of the shoebox. What was inside actually surprised her. It looked to be an extensive collection of the Dr. Seuss children's books!

Murphy saw the books and rolled his eyes. "Roc! She's twenty-four, not four!"

Rocco crossed his arms. "She likes to read an' who don't love Dr. Seuss."

Nods of agreement went around. Dr. Seuss was indeed beloved by all.

Gasps of shock went through the crowd. Kareen had her hand up, as if admitting she didn't like the author!

She chuckled and explained. "I never read 'em. As soon as I started ta read my level got too advanced fer kids books. I guess dat's why Dr. Seuss never came to hand." She put a hand on Rocco's shoulder with a happy smile. "Thank ye, Roc. I really do love 'em. Ef I ever have kids, I'll read 'em ta de babes."

Dory snickered. "Watch out, Connor! She's already thinkin' about kids!"

The crowd erupted in laughter as both Connor and Kareen rolled their eyes with laughing smiles on their faces.

Ally came up next. "Alright, these are from the three of us."

Three small rectangular prisms were on Kareen's lap. Just by lifting one a huge smile came to her face. "I know what these are!" She carefully tore away the wrapping paper and was looking down at three brand-spanking-new books. She beamed a smile at the girls, then to Rocco, and back again. "Books! You guys know me so well!" She took a moment to look over the three novels. One looked like a vampire novel, another had a pack of wolves on the front, and the last had the image of petals floating in a puddle of water. All the were intriguing to look at.

Jan stepped up. "We didn't know what kind to get you without getting you a duplicate. So we just bought you a book that looked really interesting and that we would read ourselves. Oh, and this one is also from us."

A sly smile spread across the faces of the three waitresses.

Kareen, curious as to what the second gift could be, tore away the paper. A simple brown box was there. She flipped up the lid and pulled out the note. _For whenever Connor isn't around, if you catch our drift! _She pushed aside some tissue paper to reveal another, smaller box. A dark red blush came over her face as she shut the lid. You see, what lay inside the box was a nice little _vibrator! _

"Whah was et?"

"Yeah, Kareen, whah'd they getcha?"

She looked over to the questioning brothers and set the gift aside. "Oh…Nothing…Girl stuff…"

Murphy smirked and turned to his brother. "Which do yah think? Dildo or vibrator?"

Connor laughed and looked at the box. "Hmm…I think a vibrator. Dat box ain't big enough ta hold a dildo big enough to compare, right Kareen?"

"_Connor_!"

The group burst into fits of laughter at the red-faced woman. Angry or embarrassed didn't matter; it was just the fact that she was the same color as a ripe tomato and the nature of the gift.

Kareen glared at the waitresses. "Oh, I hate you three!" However, the little smile on her face said otherwise!

They laughed and smiled.

"We know."

"You'll like it though," Jan said with a wink.

Dory laughed. "Yeah! Every girl needs her own little friend!"

This brought on more laughter.

As the crowd finally settled, Doc came up from behind the bar. "Th-Th-Thes es fer you, Kareen, _Fuck! Ass! _I hope y-ye like et." A smile came to his twitching face as he held out the small envelope.

Kareen smiled at him and opened it up. There was a card. On the front was a pretty tree with the words _May this birthday bring you joy_ written in the clouds_._ She opened the card and laughed. There was a close-up of the tree and a bunch of squirrels were throwing a party. _Now go NUTS! _She plucked the gift card that was inside of the card out and smiled at her uncle. "Ye crazy ol' man!" The card was to the bookstore in the mall.

He smiled back at his niece and pointed to the card. "Dere's fifty bucks on dere."

She beamed a smile at him. Looking around she said, "I'm noticin' ye're all gettin' me books! Es et really dat easy?"  
>The all nodded and laughed.<p>

Murphy sauntered up to the bar and plopped the badly wrapped gift in Kareen's lap. "My turn!"

She laughed and picked up the gift. It was large and squishy and made her rather curious as to what could possibly lay within. When she tore away the paper she was looking down at a nice new coat with a faux fur fringe. She raised a brow at Murphy. "Ye do know I've got a good coat, right?"

He waved it off. "Yeah, well now yah got two."

She chuckled and set the coat aside. It was nice, even if she already had a nice one.

Connor walked up. "I tink I've waited long enough."

Kareen smiled happily at him and waited. There was a feeling inside her that made her feel all warm and fuzzy and waiting for what was about to happen.

He put the small cube into her hand and waited patiently.

With a little smile she tore off the paper. What she saw was not was she expected. There, in her hands, was the dark box with the inlaid silver writing of the name of a jewelry store. It was beyond anything she thought he would ever get her. She looked up at him then back down to the box. Slowly, she popped open the lid and the breath left her. Kareen just stared at the beautiful bracelet that was inside the box. She didn't know what to do. She wasn't sure if she should take it out and put it on or to just let it stay within its little world of beauty, untouched and perfect. All she could even manage to say was, "Oh…Connor." Her mind, however, was saying it all. _Oh my God! It's gorgeous! Oh, and it's silver like my necklace! And sapphires! How did he know they were my favorite? My God this is amazing…Now I feel stupid…I got him a coat for his birthday and he got me this! Oh my God it's beautiful…_

As nosy as any friends could be, the three waitresses pushed forward.

"What is it?"

"What did he get you?"

"C'mon Kareen!"

The brunette looked up to her friends and with a gentle hand she lifted the bracelet from the box. She was honestly afraid she might break it.

The three women gasped and sighed.

"That's gorgeous! Oh he's fantastic!"

"Dear Lord! How perfect!"

"It's beautiful! What a guy!"

Connor suddenly felt very, very out of place with the romantic aura surrounding the four women. His feet were itching to carry him away from the three women exclaiming over the gift.

Kareen just smiled at them and clipped the bracelet around her left wrist. Turning to Connor there was nothing she could do to wipe the smile from her features. "I love it." She hopped off the stool and planted a happy kiss on his lips.

The group hooted and hollered as the couple kissed, making them separate with laughter and a good telling-off to everyone else.

Time began to pass for the McGinty's Gang. The rest of November passed without incident and, despite Kareen's dislike for the holiday, Thanksgiving was a small affair. As December rolled around the temperature began to drop increasingly. Snow was on the minds of many. Despite many protests from a particular pair of twin brothers, Kareen left in the middle of December. She wanted to be home with her family for the winter holidays. About a week after her departure the brothers were settled back into the life they had before Kareen had made it onto the scene. They woke up, got dressed, went to work, shot the bull at the pub, went home for bed and repeated the entire thing. Life was neither good nor bad.

Murphy did notice one thing, though. He had become accustomed to having time to himself to do whatever he wanted since his brother was damn near always hanging out with Kareen. In his mind he was seeing his life as a table stacked high with precious crystal and china dishes. A nice tablecloth was beneath it all. In walked Connor sans Kareen. In one fluid movement he yanked the tablecloth away…but unlike every other good trick the crystal and china came crashing down. Because of this scene in his head, Murphy began to terribly miss Kareen. She was his golden ticket to some Murphy Time!

Connor naturally missed Kareen. What boyfriend wouldn't? There were many things he missed. He missed her smile and laugh and her company. However, like any other man in the world, he missed the sex. What guy wouldn't! It was also the after-sex he missed. Waking up holding her and kissing her good morning had become a favorite. During thoughts like these he had to stop and realize that he was becoming a man he would usually make fun of. Connor had never been the kind of guy to be all romantic and fawning over a woman. No, he was the kind of have a girlfriend here and there that never lasted longer than a couple months. But Kareen was different…

**In Ireland**

Kareen was sitting at the dinner table with her family. It was good to be home. Around the large table was the collective McGinty line. Her grandfather Argyle sat at the head with his beloved wife, and her favorite family member, Noleen to his right. To Argyle's left was her father, Dillon, and beside him was her mother, Ryanne. There were also her father's two brothers, Emmet and Breandan. Emmet's wife, Sorcha, was also there. Her only cousin, Colin, had joined in on the dinner. He was Emmet's son.

Argyle, after a rather noisy slurping of some soup, pointed a spoon at his granddaughter. "Sa tell us, missy, how's me crazy li'l brother doin'?"

She smiled at him and chuckled slightly. "Oh, Uncle Ian es just grand. De pub es a fine place. Y'oughta come out an' veset some time." After a sip of the ale on the table, she continued, "Ian's good, though. Still hollerin' de usual 'fuck ass' at any an' everyone, but ye know he don't mean no harm." She chuckled. "Ye know, fer me birthday he even insisted on havin' a bet of a party. Oh, ye know how I am wit' parties. Anyway, he gave me a gift card ta de bookstore. Haven't used it yet, but when I get back I'll be spendin' et."

Half of the table was gawking at the woman. She had never been much of a talker. That much coming from Kareen was like a two-hour tale coming from anyone else.

She laughed at their faces. "Whah?" A big smile was on her face.

Her mother raised a brow. "Ye seem…different…"

Kareen shrugged. "I guess."

Noleen was the one to notice the pretty new trinket around her granddaughter's wrist. She smiled. "Where did ye get dat? We know our Kareen wouldna buy dat 'erself."

Everyone turned to the visiting family member to explain.

Blushing darkly, she toyed with the bracelet and stared at the table. "Uh…Et was a birthday gift…"

"From who?" Her mother asked. Now everyone was quite interested in who would give her such a lovely thing.

She cleared her throat. It suddenly felt like she was trying to swallow wads of cotton. "Connor…my boyfriend."

The collective group gasped.

Her father was the one to say what everyone was thinking. "He ain't gunna play ye like dat Kian did…es 'e?"

Kareen shook her head vehemently. "No! No, Connor esn't like dat! He's a good guy, a really good guy. He's funny an' knows just whah ta do ta make me smile." She gave them a sugar-sweet smile and added one last thing, mainly to get her parents onboard with her beau, "He's Irish, too."

Argyle narrowed an eye from the head of the table to his granddaughter. "Where's thes Connor from? He born en America? Whah's 'is family name?"

She waved her hands in denial. "Oh no! Connor an' 'is brother, Murphy, are from Roscommon. I dunno which part, exactly, but dey're from Roscommon. Dey are MacManus boys."

Many of the family turned to Noleen. She was a wise old woman and knew origins well. She nodded her head. "Aye, de MacManus names goes way back en Roscommon. Many went ta American en de early eighteen-hondreds, but many more stayed. So, tell us more of yer Connor."

A small smile spread over her face as her family nestled in to hear what she had to say about the man.

Later that night, Kareen was sitting on the front porch in an old, needed-to-be-replaced porch swing. A mug of hot tea was cupped in her hands as she looked out into the still night. The cold kept trying to penetrate to her, but she found Murphy's gift was quite useful to wag a finger at the rude temperature. She looked out into the small village she had grown up in. Kareen was from a little place called Bellaghy. It had just over a thousand people and was situated at the crossroads of three main roads which brought plenty of people. Her great-grandfather had banked on the intersection and built his pub right on one of the corners. The pub always did well.

She jumped a little when the porch swing shook as someone sat down.

Noleen smiled at her darling grandchild. She patted the girl's knee. "Ye seem happy."

"I am happy, Mamo, I am."

"Good, ye seemed so upset when ye left. I donna blame ye, whah wit' Kian an' all." She looked around, like a young girl with a secret. She snickered and leaned closer to her granddaughter. "Ye know, dere's a rumor spreadin' like butter on a hot roll dat Ellen's babe ain't even Kian's. Right trollop, she es!" Her voice was a harsh whisper.

Kareen gasped. "No!" She smirked. "Serves dat randy bastard right." Her eyes flashed with a little gleam. "Cin ye keep a secret, Mamo?"

Noleen chuckled. "Kareen, I'm almost seventy years old! Course I cin keep a secret."

"I've slept wit' Connor."

A sly smile spread over the old, slightly wrinkled face. "Good. I may be fixed on a lass keepin' 'er legs crossed an' I know ye get dat from me, but ef ye hadn't already I'd make ye do et when ye got back. De way ye talk 'bout yer Connor, I cin tell 'e's special ta yah."

Kareen giggled and offered the hot tea to her grandmother. "He es. I really, really like 'im. I hope thes lasts."

"Aye. One ting I hope don't last es thes damn cold! Me ol' joints can't take et!"

With a smile, Kareen looked over her grandmother. Noleen McGinty looked her age and didn't at the same time. When she smiled and laughed she looked twenty years younger. Kareen's favorite thing was her grandmother's green eyes. She had inherited the emerald irises from the old woman, along with most of her features. Everyone who knew Noleen as a young woman would remind Kareen how alike they looked. Dado Argyle would always tell people that's why he married Noleen when they were so young. He had to be sure no other man could steal the beauty that was Noleen. Kareen still thought her grandmother was beautiful. She hoped when she was old she would have aged so well. A strange thought came to mind that made her giggle. The thought was what Connor and Murphy would be like forty or fifty years down the rode. She could almost picture them getting into a fight and trying to beat each other with their canes or walkers.

She shared the thought with her grandmother and they both shared a good, long laugh at the very thought of two geriatric twins swinging canes at each other in the halls of a nursing home with nurses and helpers trying to stop them before they give themselves heart attacks!

**A/N Alright, so I actually did my research! The MacManus name does have origins in Roscommon and "McGinty" is a common last name in the County Londonderry (Or just Derry, depending). Bellaghy is a nice little village and does sit on the junction of three main roads (they lead to Magherafelt). **

**I actually felt kinda awesome because I was gunna make Kareen from a small village from some place in Northern Ireland and that's exactly where Londonderry is! Felt good about that!**

**Mamo-Grandma**

**Dado-Grandpa**


	20. It's Like Speaking In AllCaps

**A/N "**_**Vroooooom**_**…..**_**HONK**__**HONK**_**!" I'm a car! "**_**VROOOM!**_**" (****I think I need to get more sleep at night…)**

**Chapter Twenty: It's Like Speaking In All-Caps**

Kareen walked on her tip-toes as she got off the plane and look over the heads of everyone. She was looking for her darling uncle who would be picking her up…Alright, that's a lie. Kareen was actually looking for Connor and Murphy who she was certain would have accompanied her uncle to the airport. Deep down she really, _really_ hoped her woman's intuition wouldn't be wrong. There was nothing more in the world she wanted just then than a big, squeezing hug from Murphy and a kiss from Connor. She had gone just over three weeks without a kiss from him and she was in withdrawal. Biting her lip she stood on her toes with her carry-on slung over a shoulder as she scoured the faces in the airport for either one or three men.

"K-K-Kareen!"

Her head whipped about as she looked for the old man with the stutter she so dearly loved. When she finally saw him a huge smile came to her face. "Uncle Ian!" She was about to take off in his direction when arms grabbed her around the middle and hoisted her into the air. A shout left her lips. The captured woman tried to twist herself around to see who was holding her. She finally caught sight of laughing blue eyes. She shouted at the man, "Murphy! Put me down!"

He started walking towards baggage claim still holding the woman high off the ground. "Nope, can't do dat, Kareen. I'm under strict orders not ta let yah go until we getcha back." At the baggage claim they sat down and he tossed a friendly, brotherly arm around her shoulders. "So, Missy, how was home?"

Kareen smile at him as she watched the bags rotating around and waiting for her own. "Oh et was good. A might bet colder den here, but dat's Ireland fer yah." It was then she noticed something was out of place…or someone…She looked around and asked, "Where's Connor? I tought he'd come fer sure."

Murphy grimaced. "Uh…Bout dat…Um, Conn es a little worse fer wear right now. Has been fer a couple days."

"Whah happened?" Her voice was urgent as she grabbed the large, plain, dark blue suitcase and a smaller one that matched.

He rubbed the back of his head as the three of them made their way out to the parking lot. "Stomach flu er some shet. Been huggin' da toilet. Ye know how yah got et all pretty and clean?"

"Aye."

"Et needs y'again an' bad too."

She whined and stomped a foot like a child. "Et took me ages ta get et dat clean!"

He nodded. "Yeah…Wait…Outta all dat ye fuss over how clean da toilet es?"

She gave a haughty little sniff. "People get sick all de time, but I told ye ta keep de feckin' apartment clean." She sighed. "How bad es 'e?"

Murphy just grimaced.

Her mouth formed into an understanding 'O' as she realized it must have been horrid to put a man like Murphy off.

Doc nodded. "Et's pretty bad _Fuck! Ass! _a-an' ye might just wanna st-steer clear. Et's all liquid wit' a bit o' chunks comin' out every end."

She shook her head. "Nah, I'm gunna go an' make sure 'e's alright." However…his description was nearly enough to put her off seeing the man.

Murphy frowned out the door at the layer of snow on the ground. He hated driving in the snow…Turning to the related two he said, "I'll go get de car, y'all wait here." He headed out into the cold, pulling his coat tighter around himself as he did.

Kareen smiled at her uncle. "Dado Argyle misses ye an' 'e's glad ta hear de pub es doin' well. Everyone es doin' grand. Ma an' Da help keep de pub operatin' when Dado's arthritis es too much. Emmet an' Breandan are great. Sorcha es a dream as always. Colin es livin' 'is bachelor life as always. I swear, dat man'll never settle down." She cast him a sideways glance. "An' dey all know 'bout Connor now. Mamo Noleen says 'e sounds perfect fer me."

Doc slapped a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "I'm glad t-t-ta know everyone e-es good." He gave her a smile. "I'm sure dat dey all app-prove, 'specially since 'e an' Murph are Irish."

She chuckled and shrugged. "I donna tink et would matter ef day weren't. Every da wants ta see 'is kids be wit' deir own kind, but et ain't always important."

"N-No t'ain't."

Just then Murphy pulled up with the car, already fuming and yelling rather colorful words at the weather. The ride home was eventful. Someone swerved on a patch of ice and almost caused an accident. Funny enough it was the slippery road that almost caused an accident that also helped prevent it. When people went to swerve out of the way their movements were exaggerated and got them out of the way even quicker. The worst of it all was a rather expensive BMW ramming into the guard rail. Kareen though it was hilarious that the priciest looking car was the only one that crashed into anything! She said it was karma. People shouldn't put such stock into material things.

Once they were back in South Boston Kareen made Murphy stop so she could get a supply of medication for Connor. She didn't trust Murphy's whole speech that the sick man couldn't keep anything down and refused assistance. She insisted that Murphy didn't have the talents she had. When asked what said talents were, Kareen just smirked and shimmied her chest. This brought laughter to the car as they finally pulled up by the curb.

Kareen was the first one out. She grabbed three things: her small suitcase, the bag that had been her carry-on, and the bag from the store. Without even waiting for anyone else she headed straight down the block to the loft housing. The ride in the lift couldn't have gone slower! She was certain it was on the fritz with how slow it seemed to be going. When she finally made it to the fifth floor she let herself into the boys' loft and set what she had brought with her down. A smile was on her face as she called out, "Connor"

A groaning was heard from the bathroom area.

She picked up the plastic bag and followed the groan. A sad sight assailed her eyes. Connor was lying half-conscious on a bed that had been pulled closer to the toilet to make it easier. He was in only his old, dingy bathrobe. Kneeling on the bed beside him she could tell just by looking at him that he probably hadn't showered since he got sick. She frowned and shook her head. _Men_….She put a hand on his forehead. He felt warm, but not too hot. With a little smile, she gave his cheek a gentle stroke. "Connor, hon, wake up."

His eyes stayed closed, but he did groan.

She knew he was awake, just not cognitive of the world around him. "Connor, c'mon babe, et's time ta get up." By now she usually would have kissed him awake, but she wasn't going to risk getting sick despite even being in close proximity to Connor have upped the risk already.

Connor opened his eyes slowly and stared at the ceiling. He was entirely sure who it was trying to get him to wake up, but he really wanted them to leave him be. "Go away…" He croaked with a rather ugly sounding voice.

She put her hands on her hips in the usual feminine way. "But I just got back! Ye really want me ta leave agin, eh?"

He turned his head to look at the person who was talking. His eyes widened incredibly when he saw Kareen. He sat up as quickly as he could. "Yer back."

With a little smile she nodded. "Aye, I'm back. Murphy told me ye were sick an' I couldn't stop myself from comin' ta make sure ye're alright." She looked him over. "Now, since I've got y'up, our first order o' business es ta get yah showered."

He whined and laid back down. "But I don't wanna…I wanna stay right here. Ye can't make me…" He shut his eyes and, despite actually being happy to see her, tried to imagine she wasn't there.

Kareen raised a brow. A little smirk came to her lips. Murphy said Connor wouldn't be willing to do anything, but then again Murphy didn't have what Kareen had. Ever since the waitresses had schooled Kareen on womanly wiles she had used them a few times on Connor. Now she fully intended on doing the same thing again. Leaning forward a bit, she gave him a smile. "C'mon Connor, de sooner ye get clean an' de sooner ye get well, de sooner we can make up fer lost time while I was away."

He opened one eye and looked up at her. "Lost time, ye say? What kinda time?"

"What ever time ye want. We'll need ta make et up quite…vigorously…I'm sure."

Both eyes were open now. "Well…I s'pose…When ya put et dat way…" He sat back up.

And so it began.

Kareen spent the rest of the day with a rather unrelenting Connor trying to get him to eat this or take that. Every time he refused she would mention about not being able to make up for lost time. This would get him onboard…but only for a short while. Soon the temptation was less than the pure want to do nothing. Connor was never an easy one to deal with when he was sick. It took every last bit of grit in her (what little there was) to get him to comply with what she wanted. Kareen was no doctor, but she knew what to do if someone was sick. She kept on at it, refusing to let up or let her guard down. While she was there she took the advantage and cleaned the apartment as well. Just having clothes on the floor bothered her…She left the toilet alone. No point in cleaning it then having Connor ruin it again, right?

This routine continued for two days. Kareen spent every hour at the apartment making sure Connor was alright. On more than one occasion she was told to just leave. For the first time in their relationship, the couple would actually argue. It was always about Kareen hovering like a mother hen and her not relenting to just go.

Currently, they were having another one of their little spats.

"I don't see why ye just don't leave…I feel better than yesterday an' haven't hurled once today!"

"Oh aye, I know dat. Just think, ef I stay and keep at it, ye won't hurl tamorrow er de day after. I'm not leavin', Connor, so ye cin just stop."

"I'm not gunna stop! Ef anyone needs ta stop, et's _you_!"

"Oh yes, Connor, I apologize dearly fer tryin' ta make ye better! I'm sorry, I'll _never_ do et again!" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"I don't need yah hoverin' like y'are!"

"I'm not hoverin'!"

"Yes y'are! Ye're hoverin' over me like a feckin' buzzard just waitin' for a reason to dive en!"

"_I am __not__ hoverin', Connor!_"

"Yes you _are_! Like y'ain't got nothin' better ta do! Ye haven't even gone ta work since ye got back!"

"Uncle Ian es lettin' me take dese days! He wants me ta relax a bit!"

"And this is relaxin'!"

"No, but I wouldna be able ta bear mahself ef I relaxed in hot baths every day while ye were sick!"

"Why not? Dat sounds pretty damn good ta me!"

"Well I wouldna be able ta do et wit' ye sick!"

"Oh just go, why don'tcha!"

"Damn et Connor, I said I'm not goin'! Now stop yer bickerin' an' yer whinin' _now!_"

"Oh yes, Ma, I'll behave."

"Don't call me 'Ma'! I hate when people do dat!"

"Den stop actin' like one!"

"I am not actin' like one!"

"Oh yes y'are!"

"No I'm not! I'm bein' a concerned girlfriend!"

"I'd rather ye be an uninterested acquaintance."

"_What_!"

"Oh ho! I hit a nerve!"

"_You've hit a few nerves!_"

"Good! Maybe ye'll leave now!"

"No! I'm not leavin'!"

"Aw _c'mon_!"

"No!"

"Just go!"

"No! An' we're done arguin' 'bout et!"

The two stared at each other…glared really…until both relented and sat down on the couch at opposites ends with arms crossed and glaring at the wall across the room. They sat there silently. Neither dared to even glance to their left or right to the other person for fear of another argument starting.

Then it happened.

Connor finished the drink that Kareen had given him earlier. He stood to get a refill.

Kareen hopped onto her feet. "I'll get et fer yah."

"I'm perfectly capable to gettin' it mahself, thank you very much."

"I'm sure y'are, just let me. My job title does include workin' wit' drinks."

"Oh so now ye're concerned wit' yer job. Ef ye wanna get someone a drink, just go ta work!"

"Ye're such a pain en de ass!"

"Ef I'm such a pain den _go_!"

"No! I'm stayin'!"

Ah, the first arguments between a couple, how sweet? It would have been better if one of them was more relenting, but as it turned out neither would. Connor actually saw something funny in all of it. For all her shyness and down-cast-eyes behavior, Kareen had a wicked temper. After the first handful of spats he started to do things just to get a rise out of her. He thought she was positively adorable when she yelled at him and ordered him around like a mother to her child. Sometimes she did go a touch too far and the original reasons behind sparking the arguments were lost on him and it was an all out war.

They finally settled into a silent glaring contest when the lady a floor below them came up to complain about the amount of noise they were making with their shouting. It wasn't the first time she had to ask for those living above her to quiet down; however she was surprised to see that this time it wasn't the twin brothers, but one of the brothers and a girlfriend! When she went back down she couldn't help but chuckle.

**A/N I honestly laughed my ass off through half of the argument. I've had argument likes that before and I find them quite fun and very hilarious :D**

**Alright, for those who want to know, Chapter Twenty-Two will bring us into the movie. Thanks for the patience! I hope you'll like my way of putting Kareen into everything :D**


	21. Flavored Lip Gloss Is Tasty

**A/N Watching Boondock Saints right now! It always helps me concentrate and right.**

**Chapter Twenty-One: Flavored Lip Gloss Is Tasty**

** Valentine's Day**

Kareen was helping the girls get the pub ready for a day of business. Valentine's Day was actually a decent holiday for the pub. Plenty of singles would come in hoping to find someone to go home with. Now the four women were sweeping and making sure everything was well stocked for a night of drinking.

Dory smiled across the room at Kareen where she was wiping down tables. "So, you and Connor have any plans for tonight?"

A big smile spread over the brunette's face. "Aye. Et's a real cliché night fer us. We're goin' out ta dinner at a real nice restaurant den we're thinkin' o' seein' a late movie. He even got a room at thes nice hotel so et's just de two o' us all night."

Ally sighed sweetly. "I wish I was you! That sounds amazin'."

Jan nodded. "Totally." She smirked and turned to Dory and Ally. "Wanna take bets on how many people complain from the noise those two are gunna make? I bet twenty dollars that six do."

"I've got fifteen on seven."

Kareen gasped at them, rather shocked they would think such things. However…

Dory laughed. "Twenty-five on ten complaints."

"Dory!"

The blonde laughed. "What? Is that so unrealistic?"

Kareen was blushing furiously as she pulled the broom along the floor. "Y'all are terrible!" She looked at their smiling faces and chuckled. "I bet fifteen no one complains."

"Well how are we gunna know if anyone does complain! You could lie to us and take our money!"

"Alright Jan, I promise I willna lie ta yah. I'll tell yah de God's honest truth." She crossed her heart. "Cross me heart an' hope ta die!"

Dory smirked. "I call dibs on stickin' the needle in her eyes if she lies!"

The girls all laughed as they continued to clean the pub up. Kareen had always marveled at how well she got along with the four girls when they were all so different…yet so alike. They could laugh and joke with each other like they had known each other for years on end. Well…The three waitresses knew each other for a good while, but they had welcomed Kareen happily when she came to America. That made the Irishwoman happy. She was glad to have made some real friends in the new country.

That evening she worked until six-thirty. At that time she kissed her uncle's cheek, winked at her three friends, and poured one last drink before heading upstairs to get ready.

After a quick shower she was standing in her room looking at the clothes in her closet. _What to wear…What to wear…_A smile spread over her face. Reaching into the back of her closet she pulled out a dress she had. It was the sort of dress that fit into the "little black dress" category. Kareen laid the dress on her bed and rummaged through her shoes until she found the pair of low, strappy heels she had gotten when she went out shopping with the girls all that time ago. She took a moment to really think how long it had been. She was astonished to find how much time had really gone by. It was an even bigger shock when she realized that February first had marked six months between her and Connor. _Wow, _was all she could think on the subject. Shrugging off the thoughts, she pulled on the necessary undergarments.

Kareen stood in front of her mirror in only her underwear as she worked with her long hair. _I really should get a hair cut…_She thought as she pulled the top half of it back with a large silver clip. She left her long bangs parted on a side and in her face. They framed her face as they reached to about the corners of her mouth. Kareen had started wearing her hair up far more often after Halloween. This was another trait she had picked up from her books. Many of the women wore their hair down until they lost their virginity and suddenly they were striking a new line of hair fashion! So Kareen was no grand stylist, but hey. When she was sure her hair was done she pulled out a small makeup kit Jan had gotten her. The pixie-cut blonde had even shown her how to apply the colors since makeup was an alien thing to Kareen. She brushed a dusting of dark blue on her eyelids and added the tiniest touch of mascara. That finished, she applied a layer of shiny gloss to her lips.

After putting up her hair and finishing her makeup she reached for the dress. She stepped into the dress and pulled it up. It was a halter-top dress that had a necklace-like chain-and-hook set-up with just a short zipper in the back. When she was done with the hook and after struggling with the zipper for a minute, she stood in front of the mirror turning this way and that. Kareen loved the dress even if she hardly ever got a chance to wear it. It was fitted close to her torso and just barely started to flare out as it passed her hips. The dress fell just above her knees and had a short slit for added maneuverability. She did adore the frock. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she slipped on the heels and stood. Looking in the mirror she gave a nod of self-approval before putting her bracelet back on. She only ever took it off when she showered. When Kareen was certain she was finished she grabbed her coat and little black clutch purse with all she needed and headed out to wait for Connor.

She had just sat down to wait when a knock sounded on the door. There was nothing she could do to suppress the little squeal of excitement that came from the little high school girl inside of her. Standing, she went to the door and opened it with the biggest smile on her face.

Connor smiled back at her. He looked fantastic. It was the first time she had seen him in anything but rugged old jeans, his usual boots, and a dark shirt. She had to admit he cleaned up pretty good. Connor was dressed in a pair of dark slacks and a nice white button-up with his pea coat over it all.

She raised a brow. "I've never thes get-up."

He shrugged. "Never had caused to wear it."

Glancing down she couldn't help but laugh. "Oh yer shoes really make et work."

Connor rocked back on his heels and looked down at his feet that were encased in his old boots. "Hey, at least I cleaned 'em." He held out an arm for her. "Shall we?"

With a happy smile Kareen put her hand just below the crook of his elbow after putting on her coat and nodded. "We shall."

The two left the pub via side-exit and made their way through the streets of Boston. They were far from the only nicely dressed couple on the streets. Plenty of couples, young and old, walked the streets in pairs past shop and restaurant windows decorated with hearts and little cupids. As they walked, Connor took in Kareen's chosen apparel. The dress looked fantastic on her. He liked when she pulled her hair back like that with her bangs in her face. Even the little touch of makeup (a rare thing indeed for the woman) looked good. He couldn't help but let the smug smile spread over his face as they walked down the chilly street to the restaurant.

The smile did not go unnoticed by Kareen. She chuckled. "Why do yah look so damn smug?"

He smirked. "Because I am on top o' de world."

She laughed. "Oh? An' how so?"

"Well look at thes life. I've got a decent job wit' a decent pay, a great relationship wit' mah brother, the sweetest an' most beautiful girl on me arm, an' ta top et off she's even Irish. Whah fella wouldn't kill fer a life so damn near perfect?"

Kareen couldn't help but feel a little boost to her ego and tossed her head proudly. "An' whah 'bout me? I'd say life es pretty damn good. I've got a great job dat let's me see my man almost everyone night, I've got de most amazin' man ta call me one, an' I'm as happy as can be."

Connor decided their reservation could wait an extra minute. He pulled Kareen to a stop and pulled her close. With a smile he pressed a kiss to her lips. He couldn't help but pull away too soon with a little smirk. "Es dat strawberry?"

She shrugged. "Strawberry-kiwi, but I'll give et ta yah."

"Tasty."

She laughed again as they continued on their trek to the restaurant. However, her happy and buoyant mood suddenly had a wet towel tossed onto it. They had both said how perfect everything seemed. She knew that perfection never lasted. Refusing to think like that on such an amazing night she shook the thoughts away. Soon she forgot about them all together.

At the restaurant Kareen smiled brightly. It really was a romantic place. The tables all had a single rose in a thin vase and low candles. The lights were dim, but not to the point where a person couldn't see.

As she took off her coat she felt two hands assisting her. She couldn't help but smile at how much of a gentleman Connor could be at times. Most of the time he was grade-A asshole, but he was always a gentleman with her.

Connor put the coat on the back of her chair and slid it out for her. "Miss McGinty, you chair."

With a giggle, she sat down. "Tank ye, Mister MacManus."

The waiter, who had just walked up, couldn't help but overhear what the two called each other. He gave the dark-haired woman a smile. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but did your date call you 'Miss McGinty' just now?"

Kareen smiled and nodded. "Aye. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. I was wondering why you looked familiar. Do you work at McGinty's?"

She beamed a smile at the young man. "I do. My uncle owns the pub. I'm the bartender."

The waiter smiled back as he handed them the menus. "Wow. Look, I just wanna say I love that place. It's the greatest little pub this end of Boston."

Connor chuckled. "Plenty think dat."

The waiter bowed his head. "That they do. I'll be back in a moment to get your food orders. For now is there anything I can get you two to drink?"

Like there was nothing else in the world to drink, Connor ordered a beer. Kareen decided she would just start with water.

As the waiter walked off she tossed her head proudly again. "I'm tellin' Uncle Ian 'bout dat."

Connor chuckled at her show of pride. He looked at her from across the table. With that happy smile on her face and the candles shining in her eyes she was the most beautiful sight. It made him grin as she blushed suddenly.

"Whah are ye starin' at?"

He gave her a little half-smirk. "You."

Her blush only darkened.

He couldn't help but find it amazing how after months of dating and similar compliments she still blushed.

Dinner came and went with fond conversation, happy laughter, and across-the-table hand-holding. Kareen found herself in awe over just how romantic Connor really could be. She had never pegged him as the candlelight-and-roses sort of guy, but when it came down to it he was. It made things less awkward. Kareen wasn't one of those "diamonds/jewels are cliché" and "roses just die" sort of girls. Lilies were her favorite, but roses were beautiful and diamonds and jewels were lovely. She loved the classic idea of romance, not the new world ideas of today. If a man opened a door for her, helped her with her coat, pulled out her chair, or gave her flowers she was his. Hell, she was even the kind to find it utterly romantic when a man would lay his coat over a puddle so she wouldn't step in it. Kareen was a sucker for classic romance.

Connor could tell. He knew she was the kind from the books she read. He could tell and he banked on it. What guy wouldn't? It wasn't that hard to be that romantic guy every classic movie had. Connor found it was easy and almost a natural thing to do. There was something about Kareen that just made him want to be that cheesy, romantic guy. It was a good feeling. He liked it.

After dinner they went back out onto the sidewalk and started walking towards the theater they had planned to catch a late movie at. Despite her coat, Kareen couldn't suppress a shiver that passed through her as a cold breeze passed by them. She pulled her coat tighter and leaned a little closer to Connor.

He looked down at her. "Cold?"

She gave a weak smile. "A bit, yeah."

He wrapped his arm tighter about her and tilted his head down a bit. "Why don't we just skip the movie?"

A little smirk came to her lips. "Ye got somethin' better en mind?"

"Oh, much better I think."

She beamed a happy smile as they veered to the right at an intersection and made their way to the hotel. Upon entering and getting their room-key she was not surprised to find the young woman behind the counter looking very frustrated. No doubt the woman was tired of seeing couples go in while she was stuck working. She probably had a boyfriend of her own that she wanted to spend Valentine's Day with. Kareen's heart went out to the poor girl as they took the elevator up to their room.

Once inside the rose pedals that were scattered around the floor and on the bed were lost to them. The second their coats hit the floor they were attached at the mouth. The fact that her dress came undone without having to go over her head and that he was wearing a button-up made their kiss everlasting. Undergarments were dispelled quickly as the two climbed into bed. Their coupling that night matched the holiday. It was slow and sensual, drawing out everything. The made love more than once, relishing in each other.

When they were both exhausted they laid there in each other's arms. Connor was holding Kareen close against his chest. Her face as nestled into the crook of his neck. Their eyes were closed, but neither was asleep.

Kareen tilted her head so she was staring at his chin. "Connor…"

He tilted his head down. He could just see her eyes staring up at him. "Aye?"

Her heart was pounding. Her throat felt dry. With a tiny smile she practically whispered, "I love ye."

The few seconds that went by were agonizing for her to live through.

Connor smiled. "I love ye, too."

Kareen's heart leapt at the very words and a smile that lit the dark room spread over her face. She pushed herself upwards to press a kiss to his lips. Both were certain had they not been so tired from earlier activities they would have indulged in another session of love making.

As they fell asleep Kareen thought about that phrase: love making. Now it actually seemed to fit…

**A/N Alrighty! Next chapter opens up to the movie! Thanks for the patience and the reviews! I really, really hope you like what I do with Kareen during the movie-time. I honestly think my idea is pretty good and understandable. It only makes sense! Alright, next chapter should be up around tomorrow night (maybe!). Can't wait to read the reviews for this chapter.**

**PS I took long enough with the "I love you" didn't I? Wow! Took twenty-one chapters for them to say it! JAYSUS!**


	22. Why Does It Smell Like Burnt Ass?

**A/N –insert witty/comical/normal Author's Note here-**

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Why Does It Smell Like Burnt Ass?**

** March 13****th**

McGinty's was having its usual night of business. There were happy, laughing faces, a few people drinking their troubles away as they crawled into whiskey bottles, and the usual group sitting up at the bar. It was no different than any other night at the pub. Yet…There was one thing out of place. It was something that brought a smile to even the saddest face and brightened the room. But it just wasn't there.

Kareen wasn't smiling.

In fact, Kareen was brooding. For days she had been in a foul mood that just kept getting worse. It all started when she got the letter and pictures of the beautiful baby girl Ellen had had in February. Kareen had been hoping the child would be one of those babies you had to lie about when you called them adorable. But no! Kian and Ellen O'Reilly welcome the most beautiful baby girl into their family on February twenty-sixth. She couldn't see how fair that was. It didn't help that Ellen also enclosed a picture of their wedding day which had happened in October. As if to drive the knife in Kareen's back even deeper Ellen wrote _I really wish you could have been my Maid of Honor. I miss you, Kareen!_ Well, Kareen had no issue burning the letter and pictures and flushing them all down the toilet.

That was just the beginning. Yesterday morning Kareen's mother called her to tell her that her beloved grandmother Noleen had had to be taken to the hospital. The old woman, though sweet and kind, was feisty enough to cause it. Some punks had been stirring trouble in the pub and she went after them with her husband cane. After landing a couple blows, she chased them out. However, she slipped and fell down the couple stairs in front of the pub and broke something. Kareen had stopped listening the second her mother said _"We went to the hospital, she'll be fine, but she…" _The rest simply didn't matter. It had darkened her mood even more because she hated that she couldn't be there to help her grandmother. If she wanted she could fly back out to see them all, but she would rather die than go risk the chance of being forced to meet the O'Reilly baby.

Her own loathing began to bother her. She began to think herself selfish and mean for not wanting to go back all because of a baby. How harmful could babies really be anyway? The baby wasn't the one to drive a knife into her back. No, that was Ellen. The baby wasn't the one to break her heart into millions of tiny pieces. No, that was Kian. None of it was the baby's fault but hell if she wasn't blaming the baby for everything!

Now Kareen sat behind the bar on her usual stool brooding and glaring at a rather taunting speck of dust on a bottle beneath the counter. Why she imagined that the speck of dust was sticking its tongue out and daring her to do something about it was beyond her. She just found it irritating, but couldn't bring herself to clean it away.

"Hey Kareen?"

Her head snapped up and she looked at one of the guys who was in the usual group with the twin brothers and the loud-mouthed Italian. "Whah?" Her voice was laced with impatience and there was a sprinkling of irritation to boot.

He lifted an empty glass. "Can I get another?"

She blinked and stood, quickly dishing out another pint of the black stuff to the ma on the other side of the bar. When her task was done she went right back to sitting and brooding on her stool.

The man nudged Murphy, who was to his right, and quietly said, "Kareen's actin' strange."

Murphy looked at the woman with her frown and burning eyes. He turned to his brother. "Hey man, whah's wit' Kareen? She ain't actin' 'erself tonight."

Heaving a bit of a sigh, Connor shrugged and said, "She said somethin' 'bout dat friend o' her dat had a baby an' married her ex. My guess es she just really pissed. Yah know girls hold grudges."

Beside him, Rocco chuckled and down the rest of his drink. "And some women just need to get over shit!" He said it a little too loudly for the conversation.

"Won't say you aren't right about that, Roc," said one of the other fellows.

Murphy snickered. "Hey guys, why don't we all just give our apologies ta Connor. He's de one dat's gotta deal wit' her!"

"Aw c'mon guys, don't be such hard-asses!" The man dating the brooding woman shouted over the laughter. However he couldn't help but laugh and smile along with them.

"We're sorry Conn, hope she doesn't take it out on you!"

"Yeah, wouldn't that be a bitch!"

"Just remember, if she starts yellin' that's your cue to stop listening!"

Kareen's head popped up. Without saying anything to the boys, she let them know she ad not only heard everything they said (like it was hard not to), but was also extremely offended. She stood and went to where her uncle was trying to control the rowdy bunch of men.

They all shut up when she stood there.

"Uncle Ian, I'm done fer de night. Dock pay fer all I care, but I'm feckin' done." She turned and headed for the stairs up to the apartment.

A hush fell over the entire pub when the explosive _CRACK! _sounded twice as she slammed doors above them.

The group of men at the bar was feeling a touch guilty as they quietly played with their glasses

Doc shook his head at the men. "Ye boys really d-d-done et thes time! I'll pr-pr-prob-bably hafta re-replace dose doors now! _Fuck! Ass!_"

The men all muttered apologies.

Connor stood. "Well, I might as well go an' see ef dere es somethin' I cin do."

"Good luck."

"Come back with all her fingers."

"Ef she kills ye, cin I get whah ye got left en de bank?"

"Yer an ass, Murphy!" Connor shouted as he made his way to the stairs.

When he came to the door he noticed there was a hairline crack going down its center. As far as he was concerned Kareen had put it there when she slammed the door. He let himself in. Upon entering the apartment he found nothing was out of place. There was no proof of a tirade. Everything was in its proper place. He wasn't sure whether or not to be worried. Most women would have at least thrown something. Did this mean she wasn't as angry as she seemed? Or was she so angry she realized if she broke one thing, she'd break everything?

Connor walked down the short hall and came to her door. There was a crack in the bedroom door as well. _Ehh…Maybe this isn't such a good idea…_However, he knocked on the door anyway.

"Go away, Connor…"

It still surprised him that she always seemed to know when it was him. "How'd yah know et was me?"

"Jesus Christ, Connor! Ye walk like a feckin' elephant! An' Uncle Ian walks wit' a cane! I can _tell_ de diff'rence!"

He flinched on the other side of the door. "Can I come en?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I wouldn't want ye ta deal wit' a _bitch_ an' fer ye ta stop _listenin' _ef I start shoutin'."

_Shit…_ "C'mon Kareen, ye know de guys. Dey were just messin' 'round…"

"Ye laughed…"

"Well whah did ye expect me ta do!"

"Not laugh! Dat's fer sure!"

He could hear what sounded like her dropping down onto the bed.

"Just go away, Connor…"

He frowned. "Can I at least make et up ta yah?"

"How do y'intend ta do dat?"

He racked his brained for an idea. There had to be something in there that would really work! A thought came to mind. "When's yer next night off?"

"Tuesday…"

"Well, how 'bout we go out ta dinner at dat place we went fer Valentine's Day? We cin spend de evenin' just de two of us. How's dat sound?"

Inside the bedroom Kareen was staring up at the ceiling thinking back to the romantic night they had shared. It actually sounded like a perfect idea and the best was to get her out of the mood she had been stuck in for days. The tiniest smile came over her face. "Cin we go ta dat hotel agin?"

Connor smiled at the door. She liked the idea! "Absolutely. I'll call an' get reservations set up. Et's a Tuesday so dere should still be openin's."

"Ask for an eight-o'clock. Everyone vies for seven and seven-tirty. Eight will probably be open. Ef not, definitely an eight-tirty."

He nodded. "Gotcha." He stood there, leaning against the door. "So…Y'alright?"

"Still mad, ef dat's whah yer askin'…" She snapped.

_Yeah, I was expectin' that…_He gave a little sigh. "Alright. Tuesday et es. Eight er eight-tirty."

"Alright. Ye cin go now."

Defeated, he walked away. As he made his way back down the stairs he really hoped she wouldn't stay this angry for much longer. This wasn't the adorable anger he'd seen when he was sick. Oh no! This was the anger that made a man drop a load just by the look in her eye. He had to do everything perfectly right for a while _or else!_

**St. Patrick's Day (Grab the liquor!)**

After a day of work the brothers went back to their apartment to get in a shower and get ready for a night of celebratory drinking at their favorite pub. As they were getting ready they chattered easily. Murphy was still taking jabs at his brother for getting a shot to the nads by that bohemian of a woman at the factory.

Connor rolled his eyes as he pulled a shirt on after drying from his shower. "Yeah, yeah, whahever. Now c'mon, let's get goin' man!" He grabbed a baggy, dark brown sweater and pulled it on over his head.

Murphy pulled on a dark blue sweater of the same style. They realized they dressed alike, but it was never intentional! They just happened to wear the same clothes just a color or two apart. "So whah are ye gunna do ta get back on Kareen's good side?" He had never asked if his brother had at least level the ground after Kareen stormed off and a door-slamming mood four nights ago.

"Well, I'm takin' her ta dat place we went ta fer Valentine's Day. She even wants ta go ta de hotel again. Hell, I'm all fer et! Ef et gets me back en her good graces, I'll do anythin'. Fuck, she can order lobster an' de most expensive wine dere es!"

"Whadda sap!"

"Aw fuck you!"

They shoved their wallets into their back pockets and headed out to the lift, pushing and shoving each other all the way. Murphy was stuck on the fact that his brother was being a love-stricken sap. How bad could he have to be willing to do anything? Murphy had certainly never felt like _that _for any woman.

The two entered the already crowded pub and went straight for the bar where two barstools were just waiting for them. As they sat down they looked about. It was obvious Kareen hadn't taken over decorating for the holiday. Usually there would be themed confetti and the likes, but tonight there was only a dangling border of shamrocks around the upper fixture that held glasses and extra bottles of drinks. In fact, they didn't see Kareen behind the bar. Where was she?

Doc, noticing the twins looking around for someone who wasn't there, set two pints of Guinness in front of the boys. "Kar-r-reen es upstairs. She was gettin' a headache and _Fuck! Ass! _wanted some aspirin. She'll be down sh-shortly."

The two brothers nodded in understanding before going at their drinks. About twenty minutes later Kareen made her appearance. They noticed she slipped a little pill bottle under the counter for later. Both smiled at her and were equally surprised when she smiled back, even if it was a weak and strained smile. At least she seemed to be in a slightly better mood!

Not long after Kareen came down did the pub really start pumping. It was jam-packed with people taking shots, throwing darts, and shouting with smiles on their faces. The door opened and in walked Rocco with a big smile on his shaggy face. He stepped in, gave Dory a kiss on the cheek to say 'hello' and took a shot off the tray she was carrying.

With a grin he walked up to the bar and announced his presence with a loud, "Hey FuckAss! Get me a beer!"

The group of guys cheered at their friend's arrival. Murphy bent back in his seat to hug the man while Connor grabbed the Italian and messed up the long hair on his head. A few of the other men joined in on the manly embrace, patting their newly arrived friend and joining in the shouts of welcome. Rocco sat down with his freshly poured drink.

Kareen was surprised she was actually having a good night despite the dull, thudding pain in her temples. For the first time in a few days she actually felt like things were going well. She was still mad at Connor…actually she was still mad at all of them. However she refused to let that get in the way of enjoying a perfectly Irish holiday without a care in the world. She even accepted the couple drinks that some of the patrons insisted she have. It was a good thing her uncle wasn't overly strict about such things. He even had a few drinks himself!

It was as the night was winding down that things turned sour. Everyone except the group at the bar had left. Dory, Jan, and All had all taken off after being told there wasn't enough for them to stay. Rocco snickered and got everyone's attention. "Alright! Here's a good one! As an airplane is about to crash, a female passenger jumps up frantically and announces, 'If I'm going to die, I want to die feeling like a woman.' So the broad takes off all her clothes and asks, 'Is there someone his plane who is man enough to make me feel like a woman?' A man a few rows down stands up and starts to undress. He then tosses his clothes at her and says, 'Here! Iron this!"

The group of men laughed. They only laughed louder when Kareen announced that the joke was perfectly rude! They all roared in laughter for a few good minutes before calming back down and going back to their drinks.

Doc held up his hands. "Listen, listen, boys."

Murphy tried to swat his hand away, not wanting to listen.

"I've got some very bad news."

Everyone started to pay attention. Kareen, who was sitting on her usual stool and across the bar from Connor turned to listen. _Bad news? What bad news? Why wouldn't he have already told me? What bad news!_

The old man stuttered through his sentence. "I'm gunna hafta close down th-th-the bar. De Russians are buyin' up buildin's all over de town, includin' this one. _Fuck! Ass! _And dey're not lettin' me renew my lease."

The group all whined.

Kareen just looked at her uncle, stricken with worry. She had gone without dealing with the mobsters of Boston for her time living in the capitol of Massachusetts, but now it seemed issues were at hand.

Rocco tried to console the old man. "Lemme talk to my boss. Maybe he can do somethin'."

Connor snorted at the suggestion. "De fuck's yer boss gunna do?"

Doc held up his hands, trying to quiet them again. "Hey, hey, hey! Listen, fellas, I don't want anyone ta know. So you keep yer traps shut! Ye know whah dey say: People in glass houses sink sh-sh-ships."

Everyone laughed quietly at the man's mix-up of the well-known proverbs.

Rocco chortled. "Hey, Doc, I gotta buy you, like, a proverbs book or somethin'. This mix-'n-match shit's gotta go."

"Whah?"

Connor laughed. "A penny saved es worth two en de bush, esn't et?"

Murphy tapped the bar top with a smile on his face. "An' don't cross de road ef ye can't get outta de kitchen!"

The guys all laughed. Kareen just shook her head and patted her uncle's shoulder with a little smile on her face. "Don't worry, Uncle Ian."

He just gave a little snort.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut. The laughing stopped as the patrons turned to see who had just walked into the pub.

Three men, all decently large and dressed in nice suits, sauntered up to the bar. Two were bald. One, the biggest, stood in the middle of them all and started removing his expensive-looking leather gloves.

"I am Ivan Chekov, and you vill be closink _now_."

The men at the bar all turned and got off their seats.

Behind the bar Kareen moved closer to her uncle. Her eyes darted to where the pub owner kept a loaded shotgun under the counter. She felt she might need it in the very near future.

Murphy, always one for a good laugh, waved a hand at the man. "Chevok. Well," he threw an arm around a rather drunk Rocco, "thes here's McCoy. We find a Spock, we got us an away team." He gave the big man's chest a pat.

The men all chuckled. One of the men even gave the three Russians the Finger.

Ivan didn't look pleased. "Me in no mood for discussion." He pointed to Doc. "You, you stay. Ze rest of you, go now." He fluttered his hand in front of them, motioning for them to leave.

Doc gave the men a sneer and said, "Why don't ye make like a tree, an' get de fuck outta here!" His face twitched and convulsed slightly as he finished the command.

The group of men, and even Kareen, groaned at the failed attempt.

Connor and Murphy turned to grab their drinks off the bar top before turning back to the three Russians.

"Ye know he's got till the week's end, right?" Connor asked. "Ye don't hafta be hard-asses, do yah?"

Murphy offered a little smile. "Yeah, it's St. Patty's Day. Everyone's Irish tonight. Why don't yah just pull up a stool an' have a drink wit' us?"

Ivan, getting annoyed with all the talk and the two Irishmen before him, lost his temper. He smashed the pints of Guinness out of their hands, letting them shatter on the floor and spilling the beer everywhere. "This is no game! If you won't go, ve vill make you go!" He warned in a threatening tone.

"Listen," Connor began in a civil tone, "if ye want ta fight, ye can see yer outnumbered here."

Behind the counter, Kareen groaned mentally. _I do not want to clean up another bar fight, Damnit! _

"We're tryin' ta be civil, so I suggest ye take our offer," he finished, honestly trying to get the Russians to reconsider their behavior.

Ivan pointed to himself, then to the Irishman. "I make ze offers."

Rocco, drunk as a skunk, couldn't resist. "Hey! Boris! What would you do if I told you your pinko Commie mother sucks so much _dick _her fa—" The rest of his insult was cut off as the oversized, bald Russian swung at him.

Some of the guys started slinging words at the big man.

"Fuck you!"

"What're yah doin'!"

"_Now, that wasn't too polite, was it?_" Connor asked, speaking the assailant's native tongue of Russian.

Murphy hopped in with his two-cents, also in Russian. "_I'm afraid we can't let that on go, Vanya_." He used the known pet-name for 'Ivan' in hopes to really tick the man off.

The three Russians stared at the two men, utterly shocked that they just spoke their language and quite well, too.

The twin brothers looked to each other as they downed a shot. When they were done they dropped the little glasses and dove in unison to take Ivan out at the knees.

This started an all-out brawl. The group of men jumped on the Russians, hitting and kicking anything that their hands and feet could reach. As they all pummeled away at each other, Murphy got tossed against the cushioned bench below a wine shelf by one the Russian who actually had hair.

Two of the guys went to help him, but Connor held them back. "Stay away! He can take care of 'imself!"

All while this was happening, Kareen and Doc stayed behind the bar. The feisty old man was shadow-boxing and calling out helpful hints to the men. Kareen was furious. She didn't care that the fight was started to prove a point that the Russians should leave McGinty's alone. It was the fact that the fight was evening happening. A blind rage was building inside of her at the sight of the brawling men. _Men! _She started shouting, hoping to be heard over the ruckus, for them to stop. Her words fell on deaf ears…

Murphy grabbed two wine bottles from behind his head and smashed them against the head of the Russian. When the man fell away unconscious, he stood and went to help his brother. By now the group of men had thrown the smaller bald man out onto the street with one big heave. Everyone was circling the last Russian. Connor grabbed a nearby chair and swung at the man. Ivan's attempted to dodge was futile as the chair collided with his upper torso and head. He crumpled to the group.

Connor turned to the guys. "Let's get thes asshole on de bar." He stuck a cigarette in his mouth and lit up.

The men, still pumped from the fight, all worked together and lifted the heavy man off the floor and onto the bar.

"Kareen, can ye get—"

She glared at him.

Connor stopped. "Uh…Hey Doc, ye still got dat rope dat held de boxes together from yer last shipment?"

The old man nodded and hobbled off. "Right! G-G-Got some en de back! _Fuck! Ass!_" When he came out of the backroom he held the bits of rope in his hand.

Connor, Murphy, Rocco, and one of the long-haired fellows all took a piece of rope and tied the big man down. The mastermind behind the plot looked back to the bartender. "Gimme a bottle o' rum."

Curious as to where this was going, the barkeep handed over an almost-empty bottle.

Connor, one for flare, flipped the bottle before pouring a good percentage of what was left in the bottle over Ivan's rump. After spinning the bottle in his palm, he slammed it down on the counter. With the cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth he struck a match and dropped it onto the man's ass.

The men gave a cheer as Ivan started to scream.

Kareen watched, unable to look away. It was when the smell of burning clothes and skin reached her that she finally turned her face away. The stench was horrible! It was more than she could take! She quickly grabbed one of the water-hoses attached to the bar and sprayed the man's burning bum. She didn't care if it was an act of kindness towards a complete asshole; she _had_ to stop the smell from getting worse! When she was done with it, having thoroughly soaked the Russian, she rounded on the group of men. "Ye freckin' _assholes_!"

Their laughter and joy ceased the second the words left her mouth.

"Look at thes feckin' mess! Ye know who's job et es ta clean thes shit! _Mine_! Not ta mention de Russians are gunna be _pissed _ta High fuckin' Heaven when dey get word o' whah happened! But _noooo_! You _men_ just hafta go an' show yer asses! Had ye just left I'm sure we coulda handled et!" She threw her hands in the air with a loud groan of frustration before stomping off upstairs.

The men all stared at their feet, feeling five years old again and being yelled at by their mother for breaking a dish and lying about it. Connor especially felt like shit. All night he had been a model boyfriend and tried his best. She had actually seemed decently content with the evening. He could tell something was still bothering her, but she actually seemed happy for the first time in days. It was like a small ray of sunshine had burst through the dark clouds that depicted her mood. Now she was pissed again. _Shit…_

**A/N I always wondered what happened to the third Russian and how they got Ivan on the bar and all set up without a fight. So…I made it up! I do think the tying-to-the-bar-and-ass-burning plan would have been Connor's idea. He's always one for creative plans….. "**_**Creative! It happens ta be a creative plan!" "Here I am again tyin' myself up wit' yer stupid rope! Whah's the deal with you and the rope!" **_

**ALSO! Yes, I am focusing more on this fanfiction than my Blade fanfiction. This is because I am bound and determined to finish this one before school starts!**


	23. Wouldn't Miss It

**A/N Call me Butter, baby! 'Cause I'm on a roll! **

**I warn you now! The chapters are all going to be longer like chapter 22 was. I have to incorporate a bit of Kareen into all of them and what happens between scenes. Bear with me! As it is I'm breaking the jailhouse scene into two chapters so it's not so lengthy.**

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Wouldn't Miss It**

The morning after the bar fight and being yelled at like they were children Connor and Murphy woke up with serious headaches along with various aches and pains from the few times their opponent got a blow or two in. They rubbed hands over their faces and tried to wake up as best they could. Their headaches were making the light spilling in through the windows almost unbearable. With the hopes of a morning cigarette they pulled on their old bathrobes and grabbed their boots. It was while they were still half asleep and trying to get up the energy to stand and get their day going that it all turned to shit.

The door was broken down to reveal two of the Russians from the previous night. In fact, they were still wearing the same clothes. One had his head heavily bandaged and the other seemed to be waddling more than walking as they burst into the room. Ivan, the waddling one, was wielding a gun. "Freeze, you fuckin' Irish faggots!"

What a way to wake a man up!

They charged the brothers, knocking them down before demanding they stand. Ivan grabbed hold of Connor while his partner pulled Murphy away. The blue-eyed twin was made to kneel as the Russian held him firmly by the robe. Growling out demands, Ivan slapped a pair of cuffs on Connor's wrist and made the man handcuff himself to the toilet. With a nasty sneer, the bald man leaned over Connor. "You know why I fucking come here? I come here to kill you. But now, I no think I fuckin' kill you. I kill your brozer! Shoot him in ze head!"

"Fuck you!"

Ivan stood and waddled over to his fellow assailant. "Gotta go! Gotta go!"

"Connor!" Murphy cried out to his brother as he was forced to his feet. "Et was just a fuckin' bar fight! You guys are fuckin' pussies!"

From where he was chained around the toilet Connor cried out to his brother. Realizing there was nothing he could do unless he rid himself of the cuffs or toilet, he began to heave. Even if it took every last bit of him, he would save his brother. Pushing and shoving, yanking and pulling, the man tried to rip the toilet up from the floor. He needed to save his brother. What would Ma think if he didn't? That was half of his drive. He would never be able to face his mother again if he didn't save his brother. The other half was the sheer brotherly love he had for his twin. What else could he do but try and save him? As he strained he could feel the warmth of blood pouring from his wrists as the cuffs cut into him viciously.

The Russians forced Murphy down the emergency stairs and out into the alley way. They forced him onto his knees. Ivan put the gun to his head. "I hope your conscience is clear, Irishman!" He laughed a cruel and evil laugh.

Murphy couldn't help but wonder, even in a time like this, if he had watched every superhero movie and mimicked the laugh of the villain. It was almost too perfectly evil sounding.

Suddenly something on the fire-escape caught his attention! _That can't be…Holy shit! DUCK! _was all he could think as he saw the toilet come spiraling down five stories towards him and the Russians. He ducked down and covered his head just in time for the toilet to smash against the back of Ivan's head and neck. The shock of it all made him fire off his weapon, missing Murphy but hitting the dumpster. The heavy ceramic of the toilet shattered on impact. Ivan fell to the ground. He had massive bleeding into the brain. It was death by blunt-force trauma.

Connor came falling through the air next. He landed on the back of the Russian with the head-bandages. The man fired off his weapon for the same reason Ivan did: shock. It flew down the alley and imbedded itself in the opposite wall. Connor crumpled to the ground and his head bounced off the pavement, knocking him unconscious.

Murphy gathered his thoughts as he stood. The first thing he did was make sure his brother wasn't dead. When he was certain there was still life inside of the unconscious man, he stood. Movement caught his eye. The man Connor had landed on was still alive and trying to grab his gun to shoot either brother. Murphy wasn't having that! He grabbed the cover to the toilet, the only piece still intact, and wailed on the man's head until the Russian stopped moving. With that done, he tossed the cover aside and rummaged through the trash for something to gather things in. He came up with an old gift-bag. Emptying it of its newspaper contents he filled the bag with the dropped guns, the contents of the dead men's pockets, and whatever jewelry they happened to be wearing. With the bag in one hand he lifted his brother over his shoulder.

At first he considered going to McGinty's, but realized Connor desperately needed a doctor. His feet carried him to the nearby clinic that was run by the church. There he told them nothing. The nurses didn't ask him why his brother was handcuffed or bleeding from the head. Sometimes questions were best left unasked. While they were bandaging Connor's wrists and head, he woke up.

The man was disorientated for a while until he finally realized where he was and what happened. He looked around, trying to find his brother.

Murphy was standing a few feet away as the nurse finished wrapping his brother's wrist.

"_Are you alright?_" Connor asked if brother in Gaelic.

Murphy nodded. "_I'm good. Russians are worse for wear…Uh…_"

"_What?_"

"_They're kinda dead._"

"Shit…"

The nurse finished up and left the brothers alone.

Connor set his brother with a look. "Whaddya mean 'dead'?"

Murphy shrugged. "I think dey are, anyway. Neither were movin' when I hauled ass outta dere."

"Well et was self-defense…Right?"

"Aye…"

"Murph…Whah's en de bag?"

Murphy handed the bag over. "Et's all de shit dey had on 'em. Gotta be a few hondred in bills alone."

Connor couldn't help but chuckle. Of course his brother had rolled the guys for whatever they had. Of course he did! He rolled his foot around and winced at the pain in his ankle. He then noticed the nurse had wrapped it up to help it along. "Look, go an' call Doc. Give 'im de bag. We gotta go ta de cops. Someone's gunna find dose bodies an' we don't need ta be stamped as murderers."

Murphy nodded and went off to find a phone. He stopped after walking only a few feet and turned back to his brother. "Whah 'bout Kareen?"

"Do _not _let him tell 'er!"

**Meanwhile**

Kareen and Doc walked down the steps to the bar when they heard someone banging on the pub's door. Both were in the middle of a good breakfast and rather confused at who wanted their attention. The bigger question on their mind was who the hell wanted to be let into a pub at nine in the morning? Kareen crossed the open floor of the pub much faster than her uncle could and got to the door first. Turning the locks, she opened the door to a rather strange sight. A man who looked to be in his mid-forties or so and dressed in a rather nice grey suit was standing there. She was rather confused when she asked, "Cin I help ye?"

He gave her a little nod and a trustworthy smile. "My name is Paul Smecker. I'm an FBI Special Agent in the Organized Crime Task Force. Is the owner of the pub here?"

"Oh, uh…Yes, come en, please." Kareen felt she could trust this man based on the fact alone that he didn't look her up and down when she opened the door. He seemed professional and she trusted professional behavior.

Smecker walked in and saw the old man coming towards him. He nodded. "I assume you are the owner."

Doc nodded and held out a hand. "Aye. Ian McGinty, sir. Ye've m-met me grand-niece, Kareen. She's a b-b-bartender here. How can we help ye?"

"This morning two bodies were found in an alley down the block from here. We have it in good information the man or men who committed the crime could have been here last night celebrating St. Patrick's Day."

Before Doc could ask anything Kareen hopped into the conversation. "Which alley?"

Smecker raised a brow, but answered her. "It's the one just down that way," he pointed the direction. "It's between the two loft buildings."

Doc and Kareen shared a glance that didn't go unnoticed.

"You know about it?"

"Who were de v-victims? _Fuck! Ass!_"

Smecker jumped slightly at the sudden outburst from the old man.

Kareen gave a small chuckle. "Don't mind dat. Uncle Ian's got Tourette's."

The Special Agent made a face of understanding before answering the man. He knew he shouldn't dispel information, but he felt the two knew what he needed to know. "The men were identified and it turns out they have connections to the Russian mob."

Both men jumped when Kareen blew up.

"_Oh I fuckin' knew!_" With a roar or rage she stormed off upstairs.

Smecker, wide-eyed, asked Doc, "What's her deal?"

Doc shook his head and explained. "De Russian have b-been buyin' buildin's all over town. Last night a few of 'em came en. All dey wanted w-w-was ta talk ta me. De guys dat were here d-d-didn't like et much. _Fuck! Ass! _Things got rough. De guys overp-powered de Russians an' got 'em ta go." He shook his head again. "I guess d-d-dey weren't too happy 'bout et an' wanted ta get 'em back."

"Who were the guys? Do you know them?"

"Aye. Connor an' Murphy MacManus."

Smecker reached into his breast-pocket and pulled out a card. "Look, if they come in have them give me a call or come by the station. I'm sure that this was self-defense." He gave the old man a nod. Before he left, he couldn't resist asking. "Why was your niece so upset?"

"Sh-She told de guys de fight would come ta no good. Dat, an' she's datin' Connor."

Smecker couldn't suppress a little chuckle. "He's in the doghouse now. Have a nice day, Mr. McGinty." With that he walked out of the pub and headed back to the crime scene to let the other detectives in on the information he had just acquired.

Doc waited until the man was out of the pub before returning to his breakfast upstairs. Just as he walked through the door the phone rang. He waved Kareen off from where she was sitting and glaring at the floor when she made to get up and answer. Lifting the phone, he answered politely, "Hello? Thes es Ian McGinty."

"_Doc, et's Murph. Look, Conn an' I hit a rough patch thes mornin' an' we're down at de hospital. We need yah ta come an' pick somethin' up fer us. Can yah?"_

"I'll be down en a bit. Are y'alright?"

"_We're fine. Oh, an' don't tell Kareen."_

"Right."

He hung up without another word.

Kareen looked at him with questioning eyes.

_Well, she already knows so…_"De boys are at de hospital. Don't worry. I'm g-g-gunna go an' see 'em an' make sure dey're alright."

She waved him off and returned to glaring at the wall.

Doc shook his head. After putting on his hat and grabbing his coat he left for the nearby hospital.

**The Hospital**

"Look at de ceilin'. Sense o' touch alone. Wait 'til ye feel me move." Connor and Murphy were currently having a grand time playing hand games with one of the younger patients in the ward.

As the boy looked up to the ceiling, Murphy slowly moved his hand and slammed the kid's right hand gently. He pulled his hand back before the kid could spot him.

"So quick ye couldn't even feel it go, could ya?" Connor teased with a laugh.

The kid laughed, grateful that there was finally someone fun at the hospital aside from the boring and straight-laced nuns.

"Let's try et again. Try et again! Look at the ceilin'."

As they were getting ready when Murphy noticed Doc come in. "Et's Doc."

Connor gave the kid a pat before hobbling over to grab the green gift-bag of pilfered items.

Doc walked up in a hurry.

Murphy hopped off the gurney and gave the old man a pat on the back. "Thanks fer comin', Doc."

As he took in the scene, the pub owner was shocked to see the boys' robes dotted and soaked with blood here and there. "Jesus Christ! Whah de fuck happened? A-Are ye b-b-boys alright?"

Connor rubbed his brother's shoulder in a comforting sort of way and answered the old man. "We're alive."

"An FBI agent came by de bar and, uh, he left me his c-c-ca—He left me his c-c—Oh, he fuckin' game me thes. _Fuck! Ass! _Whah are ye gunna do?"

Three nearby nuns gasped as if they had just witnessed the man giving the Back Hand to the Virgin Mary herself.

"We oughta turn ourselves in, tell 'im et was self-defense," Connor said, expressing the idea the brothers had already confirmed doing.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Dat's whah he said."

Murphy, slightly surprised, turned to his brother. "How the fuck's he know that? We haven't spoken ta anyone."

"D-D-Don't know. He d-d-didn't say."

Giving Doc a pat on the back, Murphy said, "Alright. Listen, Doc, we need yah ta do us a favor."

"A-A-Anything."

Connor held out the bag to the man. "Just hold on ta thes for us. We're gunna come back fer et when we get out."

Doc took the bag and nodded. "Right." He turned and headed to the door letting out a loud "_Fuck! Ass!_" as he did.

Again the nuns gasped. One even crossed herself.

Connor turned to the boy sitting on the gurney with a little smirk. "None o' dat cursin' was directed at you. He's—He's a bit—" He pointed to his head and made a face, letting the kid know Doc was perhaps just a touch off.

After that the brothers signed themselves out of the hospital and, with Murphy supporting Connor's wait, they made their way through the streets toward the police station. Many people stared at the rather odd looking duo. It wasn't every day a person saw two men in bloodied bathrobes and boots huddling through town!

As the approached the station they hopped slowly (due to Connor) up the short flight of stairs to the door. Once inside the building they could hear the condescending voice of a cop.

"These guys are miles away by now. But if you wanna beat your head against the wall, then here's what you're lookin' for. They're scared, like two little bunny rabbits! Anything in a uniform or flashin' blue lights is gunna spook 'em! Okay? So the only thing we can do is put a potato on a string and drag it through South Boston. Thanks for comin' out!"

The brothers entered the room.

A few of the cops and a man in a nice grey suit noticed them.

Murphy, with a smirk on his face, called out to the man talking. "Ye'd probably have better luck wit' beer."

Connor, joining in on the fun, nodded. "Aye, ye would."

They couldn't help but chuckle at the man in the grey suit turned to the man who had been talking and said, "Greenly. Onion bagel. Cream cheese."

Detective Greenly shook his head and hid his face in his hand in embarrassment.

The grey-suited man approached the brothers. "I am to assume you are the MacManus brothers?"

Connor nodded. "Aye."

"I'm Agent Smecker. Come with me."

The twins followed Smecker into one of the interrogation rooms after they were allowed to call someone to bring them something more suitable to wear. Smecker told one of the cops to bring them a box of doughnuts and some coffee.

The brothers sat down at the table and each tore into their own bit of fried up dough. They had yet to eat anything and they couldn't resist the rings made of pure deliciousness.

Smecker let the blinds on the door fall shut, enclosing the three of them in a room concealed from the eyes of others. Turning to the brothers he sat down. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he announced, "This conversation is going to be recorded. Just answer to the best of your knowledge."

Murphy stopped him from pressing the red button. "Excuse me, sir. Please."

Smecker waited and listened as the brothers conversed quickly and quietly in a language he didn't recognize.

"Okay, we're ready."

The FBI agent nodded. Leaning forward, he offered the boys a cigarette from his personal case. "You boys are not under oath here. Just answer the questions. I'm assuming you knew these guys from before, huh?"

Connor set his cigarette down on the napkin before him. "We met 'em last night."

"They had some pretty interesting bandages. Know anything about that?"

The boys looked at each other just a moment before explaining the entire ordeal to the man across the table from them. They left nothing out…except the guns and money…Naturally they didn't tell the man about _that_.

In disbelief, Smecker asked the brothers, "So, how is it you guys are fluent in Russian?"

Connor gave a quiet scoff. "We paid attention en school."

"You know any other languages?"

With a smug little grin, Murphy nodded. "Aye, our mother insisted on it. French?"

Smecker was astounded at what happened next.

"_How do you think he figured all this out without talking to us?_" Murphy asked his brother in French.

"Oh, that's beautiful," Smecker said in approval.

"_I have no idea. Maybe someone saw and talked,_" Connor replied.

"What's that?"

Laughing, the multi-linguist replied, "Et's Italian."

"_Not in our neighborhood, man. A hundred percent Irish. No one talks to cops. Period._"

Smecker chuckled. "Jawohl!"

"_Then I guess he's just real, real good!_" Connor ended in Spanish.

"What are you guys doin' workin' in a friggin' meat packing plant?" The agent asked with a smile on his face, utterly impressed by the boys' show of their talent for tongue.

Murphy nodded his head a bit in a well-you-know-how-things-are kind of way.

Just then a cop walked into the room. "Uh, Agent Smecker? The press is everywhere. They're just goin' nuts for these guys. I don't know what you wanna do."

Smecker turned back to the boys. "You're not bein' charged. It's up to you. You wanna talk to 'em?"

"Absolutely not," Connor said in distaste.

Murphy agreed with his brother. "No pictures either." He turned to the cop. "Es dere anyway we can stay 'ere?"

"Uh yeah. Yah know, we have an extra holding cell you guys can—" He cut himself off and looked to Smecker. "Can they stay?"

With a playful smirk on his face, Smecker stood and grabbed his coat. "Well, we'll have to check with your mom. But it's okay with me if your friends sleep over." Turning to the boys, he nodded a farewell. "Time to go feed the dogs."

The brothers laughed and stood. They followed the cop down the row of cells to the very last one which was empty. After settling in a bit, the boys and a couple of cops started playing some poker. They were just getting through with their first hand when the sound of someone walking up caught their attention.

Murphy hopped up. "Yeah!" He hugged Rocco as the long-haired guy tossed their clothes onto one of the beds.

"Roc!" Connor said with a smile.

Rocco took a step back and dug into his shirt.

"Whah have ye got there?" Asked the injured brother just as their friend stood with the boys' rosaries in hand.

It was after the boys had put on the religious emblems did they notice a second person. Kareen was leaning against the doorframe of the cell.

Connor turned to his Italian friend. "C'mon Roc! I asked ye not ta tell Kareen whah happened!"

She pushed off the frame and walked up to him. "I was dere when Smecker talked ta Uncle Ian. I knew before Rocco did."

Rocco nodded. "Yeah! I also didn't feel like gettin' on her bad side. You've seen her pissed!"

That earned him a well-deserved, yet playful, smack on the arm from Kareen. She looked up into Connor's eyes, worry playing through her own. "I told ye no good would come from dat fight."

He hugged her to him. "Aye, but we aren't bein' charged wit' anythin'." He was actually surprised to see the relief that passed through her and hear the gentle sigh. There had been concerns in his mind that she would be throwing-things pissed when she found out. Apparently she was more worried than angry!

She smiled. "Good. I just came along ta make sure ye two were alright. Tamorrow ye're gunna tell me whah all happened an' y'aren't ta leave a single thing out. Understand?" She cast reproaching gaze upon the two men.

They nodded. "Yes, Kareen." "Of course."

After a quick kiss, she smiled at Connor. "Good. We're still on for tamorrow night, yeah?"

He nodded. "Wouldn't miss it. Eight-thirty sharp."

The two smiled and kissed one last time before she and Rocco left the station.

As the brothers sat back down to their game of poker, one of the cops let out a breath. "Damn. What I wouldn't give to kiss a girl like _her_. Where'd yah find that beauty?"

Connor gave a laugh and just shook his head as the game was picked back up.

**A/N Wouldn't miss it? You sure about that, Connie dear?**

**Do you know how odd it is to watch the movie, reverse, pause, play, fast-forward, pause, play, and reverse again** **just to get the dialogue? Jesus!**


	24. What's This They Shit?

**A/N Thanks for all the reviews, even if they are few. They always bring a smile to my face. You guys are so sweet! **

**I found an interesting mistake in The Boondock Saints. It opens on St. Patrick's Day, 1999. I looked up the date and that was a **_**Wednesday**_**, not a **_**Sunday**_** like depicted.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own James Bond.**

**Chapter Twenty-Four: What's This "They" Shit?**

A thunderstorm raged over the city of Boston. Lightening webbed across the blackened sky. Thunder rolled and crashed as thought someone was playing the drums in heaven and doing an awful job at it. Rain fell sideways and anyone caught in it would feel like they were standing in the middle of a swarm of angry bees. In every home throughout South Boston lights flickered and threatened to go out. Many children were lying awake in their beds unable to sleep. Dogs howled at the fury of the storm. Cats cowered beneath furniture. A few buildings, older ones with poor wiring, lost electricity. It didn't matter though. The light from the lightening streaking above the city was frequent enough to light any darkened room that had a window.

At the police station, in the furthest back cell, two men lay sleeping through the howling storm like babes. It seemed to affect neither of them. They laid there in a slumber so deep that nothing could wake them. As they laid there, their dreams began to form into a single thought. The men began to dream the same dream.

_The men, brothers of the birth, were standing back to back. Darkness was all around them. There was nothing anywhere. Images began to swim through the blackness. The Monsignor stood and was illuminated as if by a spotlight. "This poor soul cried out for help." Suddenly he seemed to move. The brothers could never seem to keep their eyes on him for two seconds before the old man disappeared and reappeared somewhere else. The images flashing through the air were scenes of unlawful behavior done everyday by Man. "They watched as he simply walked away." "Indifference of good men!" "Nobody wanted to get involved." His voice echoed through their minds._

Connor and Murphy sat up in bed, both staring up to the heavens and gasping for breath. Water from the downpour was leaking through the ceiling. Drops fell onto their faces. As the brothers panted in hopes of obtaining life-giving oxygen a voice, a deep, methodical voice, passed through their minds.

_Whosoever shed man's blood by man shall his blood be shed. For in the image of God may deem a man._

It was not their thought that came next, but one placed within their minds. However, it was one they both understood.

Connor turned to look at his brother. "Destroy all thah which es evil…"

"So thah which es good may flourish," Murphy said, finishing the thought.

They turned away from each other, but both thought the same thing.

_Evil men do not deserve their God-given lives._

**Morning**

The brothers awoke with the memory of the previous night fresh in their minds. As they sat up and dressed it quickly became all they could think about. When they had pulled on their shirts they sat there and stared at each other for a moment, sharing a thought. _When Called, you do not deny Him._

A rather annoying noise shattered the wall of glass that was between them and the rest of the world.

Connor, confused, asked, "Whah de fuck es dat?"

After rummaged through what they had and finding the device, Murphy tossed the pager to his brother. "Et's thah fuckin' Russian's pager."

Holding the object, Connor pressed a button to see the number that needed to be called. He decided he'd call the number just to see what was happening. "Let's go."

The brothers left their quaint little cell and made their way, still waking up, out to the main room. When the group of cops there saw the brothers they all cheered and said their good mornings. The brothers, smiles on their faces, walked up to the group.

Connor slapped a man in handcuffs on the back who was being escorted by an officer. "Keep the faith, man."

"Fuckin' blow me!"

He smirked and walked up to the group, asking one of the men dressed in a suit if he had a pen.

The man nodded. "Yeah, here yah go."

"Thanks. Be right back." With that he walked off to the phone on the wall.

Murphy slapped and shook the hands of the officers in the group.

One of them held up a drink-holder with steaming coffee. "We'd be honored if you would join us for some breakfast and coffee."

He reached for a cup with a smile. "Sweet."

One of the detectives held up a newspaper. "Have yah seen this?"

Murphy read the title on the front page _The Saints of South Boston._ "Saints?" He chuckled and looked at the guys before dipping his fingers carefully into the hot coffee and splashing the droplets on them. "Body o' the Christ. Body o' the Christ."

The cops laughed as he 'blessed' all off them.

Meanwhile, Connor was listening to the firm voice of a man giving orders in Russian over the phone. With the borrowed pen he jotted down what information he needed. All the while he couldn't help but think that this was a sign, a sign that He had indeed Called upon the brothers the night before and it wasn't just their imaginations. When the man on the phone stopped talking and hung up, Connor followed suit. He ripped off the bit of paper with the time and location of a syndicate boss meeting. Pocketing the information, he looked skyward. "Amen."

Connor walked over to where his brother was enjoying the hilarity of some of the cops. He gave his brother a pat on the back. "Ready?"

Murphy nodded. "Yeah. Well, see yah guys. Keep doin' whatcha do."

Respectfully, the brothers shook the hands of each officer. They may not talk to cops, but they still respected the men in blue. The brothers were escorted by one of the detectives, a Detective Duffy, out a back entrance and into a waiting car.

The man behind the wheel turned to them. "Alright, where am I droppin' you boys off?"

"McGinty's. I'm sure ye know where dat es."

"Yeah. It's 'bout a block from yesterday's crime-scene. No problem." He started the engine of the car and headed out onto the streets. As they drove by the front of the station the boys noticed there were still journalists and newscasters hoping to get a picture or interview with either of the men. They shook their heads in disbelief.

The short ride was a silent one. When Detective Duffy pulled up next to the curb in front of McGinty's, he turned back to the brothers with a little smile. "Try an' stay outta trouble, yeah?"

Murphy scoffed. "We're Irish. We were born trouble."

"Aye. Well, thanks fer de ride."

The detective nodded as the brothers climbed out of the back.

They watched the car pull off, mentally noting that they were most definitely _not_ going to stay out of trouble.

Connor turned to his brother. "Look, I called who paged de Russian. Dere's somethin' goin' down at de Copley Plaza tonight. Nine o'clock. We doin' thes?"

His question was answered with a fixed stare.

They nodded.

"We'll need weapons."

Connor nodded at his brother's statement. Now, where could two guys find all the weaponry they would need to take out a decent sized group of men who were probably armed as well?

They looked at each other with the smallest grin on their faces.

"Dillon O'Carroll."

An hour later the brothers were sitting across from a man their own age. They dropped the two guns the Russian's had, their wads of cash, the pager, and whatever jewelry Murphy had managed to filch onto the table.

Dillon O'Carroll was an underground arms dealer. People knew of him, but his was a name spoken in hushed tones when ears were not around to hear it. He was the sort of guy who was spoken of with the phrase "A friend of a friend of a friend of mine knows this guy…" before his name. He was that "Top Secret, Hush-ity-Hush" sort of guy. A smirk was on his face. He was pleased with what he saw on the table before him. He tossed a large black duffle into each of their laps. "Knock yerselves out." Leaning back, he flipped a switch.

Connor and Murphy stood and turned. In a room behind a gate lights were coming on to reveal a room filled with different sorts of weaponry, mostly firearms. They walked into the room and just stared for a moment. It was love! Or a form of love. Perhaps that nineteen-fifties first-date sort of love.

"Fuckin' hell."

With a grin, Murphy patted his brother on the back before going over to some shelves to grab ammo. They both admired the weapons hanging from the walls.

Connor sat his bag down. "De ye know whah we need, man? Some rope."

"Absolutely." Was the sarcastic reply from his brother. "Whah are ye, insane?"

"No, et ain't. Charlie Bronson's always got rope"

Murphy scoffed. "What?"

"Yeah!" Connor said as he grabbed a matching pair of guns off the wall. "He's got a lot of rope strapped around 'im en de movies, and dey always end up usin' et."

"Ye've lost et, haven't yah?"

"No, I'm serious!"

Still unconvinced, Murphy berated his brother. "That's stupid. Name one thing you'd need a rope fer."

Connor, determined to have his way, came back with, "Ye don't know whah ye're gunna need et for. They just always need et!"

Being sure his brother didn't see, Murphy slipped a rather dangerous looking knife into his bag. "What's thes "they" shit? Thes esn't a movie." He crossed the room and tossed his bag down so he could inspect a rather beautiful piece of machinery on a tripod.

With a brow raise, Connor reached into the bag and pulled out the wicked knife. "Oh. Right. Es dat right, Rambo?" He smirked as the barrel of the gun swung to point at him.

Murphy finally conceded. "Alright, get yer stupid fuckin' rope."

Glad that things were going his way, Connor crossed to the wall where he had seen some rope hanging. "I'll get my stupid rope. I'll get it." He grabbed a neatly wrapped length of rope off the wall. "That's some rope right here."

Giving Connor a "yeah, whatever" nod of the head, Murphy grabbed his bag and followed his brother. The two left with nods of appreciation to Dillon who hardly even noticed. The arms dealer was counting the money and inspecting the two weapons on the table before him.

**That Night**

**8:15 PM**

Connor and Murphy were dressed in long-sleeved turtlenecks to cover their tattoos with flexible black gloves on. They were dressed completely alike in their matching jeans, turtlenecks, pea coats, and boots. Hell, even their sunglasses were the same. They had their fully-loaded duffle bags and were walking the streets of Boston to the Copley Plaza where they intended to do some serious shit. They had it all planned out. The two would enter the building through a basement entrance. From there they would take a lift until the desired floor. There they would press the emergency stop, get their gear together, climb up into the shaft, and from there use the air ducts to infiltrate the Russian meeting. Just like on television…

**8:17 PM**

"Alright. I'm headin' out. I'm meetin' Connor at de restaurant." Kareen was grabbing the last few things and heading towards the door. Suddenly she stopped, spun around, and looked at the other waitress who wasn't working. "Do I look alright, Ally?"

The redhead chuckled. She looked her friend over and gave a nod. The knee-length and loose black skirt with the nice long-sleeved red blouse was quite lovely. "Yah look fine. Go and get your man. You better come back in a better mood, too! It's been hell trying to deal with you the last week or so."

"Fuck you, Ally…"

"Get a strap-on and we'll talk. Hey, why are y'all meetin' there?"  
>Kareen couldn't suppress a little smile at her friend's joke before answering her. "Dat was my choice. I honestly felt like walkin' fer ten minutes wit' him would be hell. At least at de restaurant I can't be a bitch."<p>

"Ah. Well, you go and have fun. I'm stealing your couch for tonight since my roommate decided to throw a party. Mind if I break into whatever alcohol y'all got?"

Kareen waved off her friend, not caring, and grabbed her jacket. "Yeah, sure, whahever." She walked out without another word.

On the street she started to watch the night pass by in her head. One of two things was going to happen. Either a) they would have a great dinner and awesome sex and she'd be all happy and smiles again or b) the dinner would suck and the sex would only be so-so and her mood would stay rooted in its awful place. She really, really hoped option A would come out on top. There was no lying to yourself when you seriously just wanted to get out of a bad mood that seemed to grip you tight and not let go.

**8:26 PM**

Murphy pressed the red button at the bottom of the elevator control panel. As the lift came to a complete stop they tossed off their coats and started to dig through their bags. They readied their guns, tied rope around them (must to Murphy's scoffing dismay), and pulled on their black ski masks. They stood and searched the ceiling to find the two-by-two square that would pop up and off. Once located, Connor hoisted his brother up to push on the square. After it was out of their way, Murphy grabbed a hold on the edge and pulled himself up before reaching down to assist his brother.

Connor looked around a moment before finding the air duct they would need. "Told yah dere'd be a shaft."

"Just like on television."

They pulled the grate away and climbed in with Connor in the lead. Their flashlights illuminated the path as the two men crawled through the ventilation system like they were in a James Bond movie.

**8:31 PM**

Kareen walked into the restaurant. When she didn't see Connor waiting she went up to the maitre d' where he stood behind his podium with his air of self-importance. She gave him the best smile she could muster. "I've got eight-tirty reservations for two under _MacManus_. I'm supposed ta meet someone, has 'e come en?"

The man shook his head. "No, Miss, but you are here and that is what matters. This way, if you would just follow me." He gave her a smile that could only be described as the sort of smile one gives when one is either pompous or simply tired of constantly smiling.

She smiled a tight smile in return as she followed him the short way to the table. It was just as it had been the month before. There was a single rose in the center of the table with low candles and dimmed lighting. She was glad that the place was nice and all, but relieved they didn't overdo it. With one last tight smile to the host she sat down and waited for Connor to make his appearance.

**8:43 PM**

Connor stopped his crawling and waved the flashlight from side to side. He turned around, making the cramped space even worse as he tried to get past his brother. The dark realization that he was somewhat lost came over him. "Shit…"

"The fuck are ye goin'?"

"Quiet! I'm figurin' some shit out."

"Aw fuck you! I'm sweatin' my ass off draggin' yer rope around. Must weight thirty pounds!"

"We're doin' some serious shet here! So fuckin' get a hold o' yerself!"

"Fuck you! I ain't the rope-totin' Charlie Bronson wannabe dat's gettin' fuckin' us lost!"

Connor rounded on his brother. "Will ye fuckin' shut et!" He whacked Murphy on the head with his flashlight.

"You!"

This started a brawl between the brothers. With the small amount of available space all the fight really amounted to was a bit of pushing and shoving with the occasional hit tossed in for added measure. The vent creaked below them. The fight ceased.

"Shit!"

**8:57 PM**

Kareen sat there staring at the half-full glass of wine before her. It was her fourth glass. Wine usually made her the slightest bit tipsy, but her growing anger was enough to stamp down any drunkenness that began to bloom within her.

The waiter came up. "Miss?"

Her eyes snapped from the glass to the man.

He cleared his throat. "I'm going to need you to order _something_ or else we'll be forced to ask you to leave."

"Oh, I'd like a guy, say about five-eleven, six-foot on a real good day, sandy brown hair, hazel eyes. Supposed ta be here almost half an hour ago. Ye got one o' dose?"

The waiter actually looked frightened by her venomous tone of voice.

She sighed. "Fine." After only a quick glance at the menu she handed it back to him. "De spaghetti…please…"

Her slight hinting of manners didn't cover the fact that her rage was quite obvious and the waiter couldn't wait to take her plate away just so she would leave!

**9:04 PM**

"Well…Name one thing yer gunna need thes stupid fuckin' rope for!"

"Thah was way easier den I thought!"  
>"Aye!"<p>

"Ye know on TV y'always got dat guy who jumps over de sofa."

"An' ye gotta shoot at 'im fer ten fuckin' minutes!"

Murphy, with a big smile on his face, couldn't help but boast. "We're good!"

"Yes we are!" Connor looked around and noticed a little black case on the counter of the bar. "Now what do ye think es en dat little case dere?"

The tow looked at each other before running for the case, racing to see who could get to it first. Connor cheated by yanking his brother aside so he could get to the case first. He tossed back the flap and pulled out a stack of hundreds. "Fuck me…"

Murphy came up and grabbed a stack of his own. "The hits just keep on comin'!" He whacked his brother on the head.

"Ow!" He brought the stack to his nose and gave a sniff. No doubt the money was hot off the press. "Give et a smell."

"I love our new job!"

Just then the brothers heard the buzzer for the room go off. Cautiously, they pulled their masks back on and went to the door with guns at the ready. Connor peered through the peephole. In shock he lifted his mask and wrenched his brother over to look through. What Murphy saw was a man dressed in the hotel uniform with a nametag that read _Jaffar. _This man was, however, David Della Rocco.

"Bastard…" Murphy whispered.

"Thes has got ta be 'is big break."

"Yeah…"

Connor had to do it. "We've got ta fuck wit' him, right?"

Murphy was shocked that his brother would be so devious, but soon smirked and nodded. "Okay!"

They pulled their masks back down. Connor whispered instructions that his brother was to open the door while he yanked Rocco in by the hair.

Murphy couldn't help but chuckle as he yanked the door open. This was too fun!

**9:08 PM**

Kareen finished the last of her glass of wine just as the waiter walked up. She was silent as he placed the Italian dish before her and refilled her glass. The fact that he was late was no longer the issue. Now Kareen was pissed that he had completely stood her up. It was one thing to stand up a date who is waiting for you outside a movie theater…its another thing to stand up a date who is waiting for you in a very high-end restaurant.

_So much for improving my mood…_

**9:10 PM**

"Fuckin'—What the fuckin' fuck—Who the fuck—Fuck this fuckin'—How did you two fuckin' fucks—_Fuck!_" Rocco shouted as he took in the scene around him.

Connor laughed. "Well, thah certainly illustrates de diversity o' de word."

Still in shock, Rocco looked around the room at the dead bodies. "How the fuck, man?"

Murphy shrugged. "Television. Right through de fuckin' ceilin'."

"Aye. Real easy, too. Easier den we thought." Connor grabbed the case of money and picked up his discarded jacket. "C'mon, we gotta get outta here. Someone's gunna have heard dat racket."

Rocco just followed the brothers out of the room and into an elevator. "So…Wanna tell me how you two are here and did all this?"

The brothers looked at each other.

Connor gave his friend a nod. "Aye, but later. Ye got yer car, Roc?"

The Italian nodded.

"Good. We'll go back ta yer place so's we can discuss thes."

The three men all nodded in agreement at the plan.

**9:16 PM**

The waiter took away Kareen's dish. He knew she would snap at him again, but he had to ask, "Was your meal to your liking, Miss?"

She was glaring at her glass of wine. "Aye, de food was divine. Woulda liked dat sonuvabitch ta be here. Dat asshole's gunna get a fuckin' earful de next time I see 'im."

"Uh…More wine?"

"No. Check please."

It was like a gift from God that she gave him a reason to walk away from the table. The waiter felt as though the woman was prepared to kill any man she wanted.

After paying her bill, which was rather expensive due to her intake of the pricey wine, Kareen walked to the front of the restaurant. Many of the employees watched out of the corners of their eyes. They were shocked that the woman who had consumed almost an entire bottle of wine alone was walking in a straight line.

At the front door she gave the maitre d' a simple nod before putting on her coat and walking out the door. A block down the road she came upon a payphone and inserted the coins. First she called the hotel to cancel the reservation. Next she called the apartment phone and told Ally she would be coming home and not going to the hotel. Last she called Connor and Murphy's place. She wasn't surprised when neither picked up the phone. However she did leave a short, sweet, and to the point message in the sweetest, kindest, most adoring voice she could muster.

"Connor, my darling dear, _fuck_ _off_."

**9:33 PM**

Rocco was pulling up to the apartment building he lived at. He informed the boys not to worry about his girl, Donna. She wouldn't be home. She was hardly ever around anyway…As the guys piled out of the old blue car a rather happy and loving couple walked by them on there way to wherever. It meant nothing to Murphy or Rocco, but it meant the world to Connor.

"Fuckin' _shit!_" He slammed the door shut and kicked the tire of the car.

"What?" Murphy and Rocco asked in unison.

Connor, jaw clenched and fists balled, looked at his brother. "I had dat fuckin' date tonight."

Murphy grimaced. "Shit…" He slapped a hand on his brother's shoulder. "De fuck ye gunna do? Ye can't tell her why ye missed et. Think, man, whah's more important? A date er cleanin' house of fuckers like dose Russians?"

The three walked up the flight of stairs. All of them were thinking of Murphy's inquiry. Two were thinking that cleaning house was more important than some girl. The last one was still on the fence. He couldn't decide what was better. Cleaning house was better for society…but the selfish side of him was definitely saying that going on a date was far more important.

**A/N So which is more important? Your new job or your girlfriend? Will you let your personal life interfere, Connie dear? Hmmm?**

**So sorry that this took me a few days! My family decided to pull me away from something I love to do shit I hated. Alright, to do some shit I hated. Going to a rodeo was FANTASTIC! Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter.**

**Hey…Hey! You! Yeah, you! The person reading this! See that link? Click it! Pleeeease! Review! Please please please! –beggy face-**


	25. Funny! Funny! Funny!

**A/N Thanks so much for the reviews, guys! Y'all rock! I was so happy to wake up and see some fresh reviews. What a great way to start a morning, huh?**

**I hope you like my way of putting Kareen into the movie by not actually having her in it to begin with. Doesn't it make sense? I think so! **

**Anyway, I may be getting a job soon so this story might not be finished before school. I'll try though!**

**And now, we continue!**

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Funny! Funny! Funny!**

Connor, Murphy, and Rocco were sitting around the rather cheap looking table in the Italians apartment. The brothers had just finished cleaning their weapons and explaining their new vigilante life to Rocco. Neither man could deny it did sound a little odd when put into words. How could it not? To be given a message from God to rid the world of all those who do evil and that it is what the brothers deem as evil sound perfectly sane…right? Not really…

"Anybody _you_ think is evil?" Rocco asked, still slightly confused as he took in their explanation.

"Aye." Connor gave a nod. He was still rather angry at himself for missing the date. He knew there was absolutely no way of getting back into Kareen's good graces now. Hell, he still didn't know how to explain it all to her. What would he say? _He babe, look, I missed our date because I was off killing a bunch of guys with Murph. Oh don't worry, they were bad guys! Yah see, God told us to do it and we couldn't refuse! You understand, right?_ Like she would believe him if he said he honestly forgot and he would make it up to her. Did he even have a chance to make it up? Or was Kareen going to kick him to the curb? It wouldn't be the first time a girlfriend had kicked him out on his ass…but he didn't want to lose what he had with Kareen. _Do I even have it anymore?_

"Don't you think that's a little weird, a little psycho?"

"Do ye know whah I think es psycho, Roc?" The man said as he light a cigarette. He played with the cancer stick for a moment before looking up to his friend. "Et's decent men wit' loving families. Dey go home every day after work and dey turn on de news. Ye know whah dey see? They see rapists an' murderers an' child molesters. They're all gettin' outta prison."

"Mafiosos." Murphy chimed in with his two-cents. For added measure his pulled the trigger on his unloaded gun, making it click for a purpose. "Gettin' caught wit' twenty kilos an' gettin' out on bail the same fuckin' day." He snapped his fingers on the curse to add meaning.

"An' everywhere, everyone thinks de same thing—thah someone should just go kill those motherfuckers." Connor voice was filled with conviction. He had thought this many times before their Calling. Now he has a reason to really do shit about it.

"Kill 'em all. Admit it. Even you've thought 'bout et." Murphy said as he pointed at Rocco.

The bearded man gave a sigh. He pointed at the brothers over crossed wrists. "You guys should be in every major city."

The brothers gave a laugh at his words.

"This is some heavy shit. This is like "Lone Ranger" heavy, man." Rocco slapped the top of the table. "Fuck it! There's so much shit that pisses me off!" A brilliant idea came to his mind. Snapping his fingers, he pointed to the brothers. "You guys should recruit, 'cause I'm sick and fuckin' tired of walkin' down the street waitin' for one of these crack-pipin', ass-wipin', motherless lowlifes to get me!"

Murphy snickered. "Hallelujah, Jaffar."

Rocco was now full onboard with the whole idea. "So you're not just talkin' about mob guys, right? You're talkin' about pimps and drug dealers and all that shit, right?"

"Oh yeah."

"Fuck…" He ran a hand through his long hair. "You guys could do this every goddamn day!"

Slapping a hand on his brother's shoulder, Murphy came up with a fantastic analogy. "We're sorta like 7-eleven. We're not always doin' business, but we're always open."

Connor nodded in appreciation. "Thah es nicely put."

With a smug grin Murphy said, "Thank ye very much."

**Meanwhile**

Kareen was sitting on the couch with Ally. The two girls were passing a bottle of liquor borrowed from the bar downstairs back and forth as they talked about men and their faults.

Ally took a swig and grimaced at it burned her throat. "So, are yah gunna forgive 'im?" Her words were ever so slightly slurred. Despite having worked in a pub for almost four years the redhead was still a lightweight. She handed the bottle over to Kareen.

The brunette took a swig. By now she was numb to the burn of the alcohol. Kareen was no lightweight. She could hold her own, especially when she was driven to drink by anger. "Maybe."

"Yah done with 'im?"

She took another swig and handed the bottle back to Ally. "No' yet. I'll let 'im explain, hear 'im out, an' be nice."

Ally snorted a laugh as she swallowed a mouthful. "Then yer gunna kick 'im out!"

Kareen laughed and took the bottle. "Fuck yeah! Den I'm gunna kick 'im out an' give 'im back thes fuckin' thing!" She wiggled her left wrist that had the pretty silver and sapphire bracelet.

"No! You can't do that!"

"Why no'?"

Ally grinned wickedly. "You keep it, but never wear it. Guys hate when chicks do that! They think it's not fair because they spent an arm an' a leg on somethin' you don't even wear anymore! It's like when yah buy a dress that's gorgeous and expensive, but you never wear it and you feel bad because it's just collectin' dust." She took a swig from the bottle. "Be a bitch, Kareen! Enjoy it! Every gal needs to be a bitch every now an' then!"

As she swallowed some of the liquor, Kareen couldn't help but think her friend was right. She needed to be a bitch. She was tired of always being so sweet and nice to everyone! Yeah she had her moments where she just let her anger go, but she needed to let it happen more often! After another good swallow she handed the bottle back to her friend. "Ye're right, Ally! When 'e decides ta come an' explain 'imself I won't listen! I'm just gunna tell 'im off right dere! Yeah know whah," she pointed at her friend, "I swear ta yah, Ally, dat I, Kareen Ryanne McGinty, am done wit' Connor Liam MacManus!"

The girls gave a hoot and a holler and enjoyed the rest of the bottle of liquor. Ally ended up passing out on the couch with her feet propped up on the coffee table. Kareen stayed awake a while longer. She was thinking and so long as her mind was working she wouldn't fall asleep. Currently she was thinking back to when she visited home a few months before. She had lovingly told her family how great Connor was. She had lavished the fact that he was funny and always made her laugh. Well, he hadn't made her laugh! She took the last swig of the burning liquid before nestling into her end of the couch. Her last thought was that she regretted ever worrying her head about the whole Russian incident. With a final snort she resigned herself to sleep as she wished he would just bugger off.

**Rocco's**

The boys were all sitting around the table munching on the last bit of pizza and enjoying some whiskey. Rocco had begun to brood. He couldn't help but think his friends had ruined him completely. What was he going to do now? How was he supposed to explain that two guys came out of nowhere to take out Petrova and his men? What the fuck was he going to do! He grimaced. "Oh, boy…You fuckin' guys. You ruined me. I'm fuckin' done. Permanent fuckin' package boy…"

Murphy, through a mouthful of cheese pizza, asked, "Who said thah? You can take credit on thah, ye know."

"What, are you serious?" Rocco asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. Fuck et." Murphy said with some conviction. "Ef ye think about et, et's all ye can do, really. I mean, ye can't go in there an' tell 'im et was us."

"Climb the corporate ladder, boy." Connor chimed in. "Don Rocco." He laughed at his friend.

Blowing smoke out his nose, Rocco suddenly grew pair. "Fuck it. I'm doin' it. I deserve it! I've been workin' for those fat bastards since I've been in high school. Look at this fuckin' place. They're fuckin' me man." He stood impassioned with his speech. "They can suck my pathetic little dick! And I'll dip my nuts in marinara sauce just so the fat bastards can get a taste of home while they're at it."

The brothers were laughing by now. It was too much!

"Fuck it! I'm doin' it! It is done!" Rocco slammed his fists down on the table.

_BANG!_ The gun on the table went off and suddenly the cat that had been sitting there was gone! Strangely enough a large splatter of red was on the wall…

The three men were tripping over themselves and each other to get away from the table.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!"

"Oh, my God!"

"What de fuck!"

"I'm hit! I'm hit!"

"Oh fuck!"

"What the fuck!"

Finally the men began to calm down some as they looked at the blood splattered wall. Rocco's shirt was halfway up his chest due to his search for a bullet hole. The twin brothers stared at the wall in disbelief.

Murphy stepped up and pointed at the wall. "I can't believe thah just fuckin' happened!"

Winning the competition for the World's Stupidest Question, Rocco asked, "Is it dead?"

"Oh, my God!"

What a way to sober up!

**The Following Day**

Connor and Murphy were sitting at Rocco's table after his outburst and storming off. They were talking, as brothers do. Just talking. It had started with what to do with the money. Naturally, Murphy proposed buying a new toilet should be on the list. Connor came back with just getting a new apartment. There was enough money there to hold them over for some time. That thought was put aside for later after Murphy mentioned getting a place in town might not be such a hot idea if they continued to do the whole gun-slinging vigilante bit. After that the blue-eyed brother asked what Connor intended to do about Kareen.

"De fuck ye mean 'intend ta do'?"

Murphy heaved a sigh as he chewed on his nails. "Ye know whah I mean. Whah ef we gotta split? Whah ef she finds out? Ye can't just tell her. She's smart, Connor, smart enough, anyways. She cin put two an' two together an' get four. Fuck man, she cin probably multiply thirteen by twelve an' get whahever de answer es."

"Hundred an' fifty-six."

"Shut up, ye know math ain't my thing. Dat ain't de point. Whah are ye gunna do 'bout Kareen?"

Connor groaned. "I don't fuckin' know…Stop talkin' 'bout et already…" He snatched up a magazine and forced himself to become engrossed by a rather stupid article about hair implants as a message to his brother that he was done talking.

Murphy resigned himself to chewing off what was left of the growth of his nails. It was impossible for him to get any kind of length to his nails with his bad habit. He stared at the phone hoping it would ring just to break the now very awkward silence surrounding him and his twin. _Ring…Ring…Ring…Damnit! Would you ring already!_

_ Riiiiing!_

Like a cat on a mouse, Murphy snatched up the phone. "Hello?"

"_Murph._"

"Hey, Roc. Y'okay?"

Connor looked up from the magazine to watch his brother on the phone, trying to judge whatever was said by his brother's expression.

"_Anybody call for me?_"

"No, man. Ye sure ye're okay?" It was no lie that he was obviously worried about his friend. He feared that Rocco was going to get himself in some kind of trouble.

"_I'm fuckin' fine. I'll catch you on the flip side_."

The line disconnected.

Murphy stared at the phone for a few moments before putting it down. Just as the phone settled the door to the apartment burst open and two women came stumbling in, laughing at some unknown joke. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty!"

The brunette recognized the two men sitting at the table. "Hey! You're Rocco's buddies, right?" She sounded drunk or high or a rather interesting combination of both.

The two men just stared at the women. Both were thinking the curly headed blonde and the brunette had to be high off their asses.

"Oooh can they be _my_ buddies?" The blonde asked as she made a rather bad attempt to look sexy.

The brothers just sat their, looking in disgust at the two women. Sure, they would enjoy their alcohol and get rather shit-faced drunk, but drugs was something they didn't tolerate and it was obviously drugs that were affecting the women. They watched as the two suddenly forgot there were people there as they flopped onto the couch and continued to laugh at their joke and call for the cat that wasn't there. It wasn't long before they had passed out completely.

**Meanwhile**

Rocco walked into the Lakeview Deli and over to a couple of guys who were sitting in a booth enjoying their lunch. Behind the bar a fat old man watched Rocco with wide eyes as the long-haired man approached the two men. Rocco looked down at the two guys who looked up at him, slightly shocked to see he was even standing there. He sneered slightly as he asked, "You got somethin' to say?" Rocco may not have been a genius, but he knew these two knew something.

The one wearing a green shirt started talking. "I'll bet it was a fuckin' test. Vincenzo came in 'ere shootin' his mouth off. He made sure we knew." He snuffled a bit. "But we did what we were supposed to, huh? We kept out mouths shut!" He turned to look at Rocco. "You? You did your part." The two guys shared a laugh. "Fuck! They know we're goodfellas now! We'll get taken care of, baby."

Rocco was drinking in what he just heard. "What? Did everyone know? Next thing you're gunna tell me Sal was in on it!"

The guy across from the original orator snickered. "Vincenzo told Sal first. That fat fuck knew before we did."

The man in green couldn't help but find this whole situation hilarious. "At least we got our funny man back, huh?"

Laughter filled the area of the two men.

Rocco had had enough. He pulled the six-shooter he was supposed to have used on Petrova and his men out of his pocket. Hiding it behind his coat, he shot at the man in blue. He turned on the one in green and put a bullet in his chest. Those who were sitting at the bar quickly high-tailed it out of the deli as the enraged Italian stalked up to the bar. "That was funny, wasn't it? That was real fuckin' funny!"

Sal, afraid for his life, was denying it all. "No! Not me! Not me!"

"Huh? Ha! Funny! Funny!" Rocco shot the man and leaned over the counter to put another three unneeded shots into the man. "Funny! Funny! Funny!" Even after the gun was empty he continued to pull the trigger.

Finally he stepped away from the bar and realized what he did. Pocketing the gun, Rocco ran out of the deli. He ran has hard as he could away from the deli. Just away. He had to get away from there for a moment. When he stopped he was blocks away from the deli. He sat down in an alley and tried to catch his breath while it felt like his legs vibrated with the blood coursing through them. Looking up to the sky he found it was blue and inviting. How could such shit happen on such a great day? When he stood he knew he needed to get back to his apartment and get the fuck out of Boston. People had seen it all. There were witnesses. That wasn't good. He had to get away, but first he had to get to his apartment. Swallowing, he headed off for his place, sweating with the fear of a cop stopping him and apprehending him. Rocco knew he was totally and utterly fucked.

**A/N Alright, so I know I'm taking forever with my chapters but It's because I've suddenly got a shit ton of stuff to do. So…I more than likely won't be finishing this story before school but I will try as hard as I can to get in as much as possible before school starts! Promise you!**


	26. The Eleven O'Clock News

**A/N Thanks to SaraLostInes. She always gives some of the best reviews. You rock girl! **

**Alrighty, I give unto you chapter twenty-six. I hope the first three words make you laugh.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "Fat Albert"**

**Chapter Twenty-Six: The Eleven O'Clock News**

"Pack your shit! Pack your shit!" Rocco burst into the room! "We gotta get outta here! We gotta get out!"

"Whah de fuck are ye talkin' about?"

"I killed them! Oh, Jesus, I killed them all!"  
>"Woah! Just calm down! Tell us whah happened!"<p>

"_No_!"

The two women on the couch were finally gathering their wits as they walked the bearded man stuff whatever came to his hand into a bag. They sat up a bit and tried to get his attention. "Rocco!"

"Calm down, man!" Connor shouted at Rocco in a feeble attempt to calm the crazed man.

"Fuck you!" Rocco wielded an iron at Murphy. "You start getting' excited, motherfucker! We gotta go!" He shoved the iron into his bag full of miscellaneous things.

"Rocco!" Donna tried to get her boyfriend's attention.

Murphy, trying to get something out of his friend, asked, "Well, how many were dere?"

"Fuckin' hurry the fuck up!" Was the only answer Rocco could give as he basically poured the contents of a cupboard into the bag.

"Alright!" By now Murphy was getting as excited as Rocco had told him to be. This was fantastic! "I love thes shet!"

Connor, still trying to make sense of the situation, had to ask, "Whah de fuck es wrong wit' ye, Roc?"

"The cocksucker sold me out!"

_Of course he did! _Connor thought before shouting back at his friend. "Didn't I tell yah, Roc? Did they pull on ye first?"

"What am I doin'?" Rocco realized he had been shoved empty soda and beer cans into the bag. "In the middle of the Lakeview!"

"Lakeview the deli, Roc?" The fairer-haired brother asked in disbelief.

Murphy was overjoyed about this as he patted his brother's back. "Looks like we got us a new fuckin' recruit!"

The women tried again, louder this time. "_Rocco_!

"_What_!" He rounded on the two of them.

Donna stared up at him. "Where's my cat?"

With the look of a man worthy of living at the Funny Farm, he stepped up to them after dropping the large bag. "I killed your cat you druggie bitch!"

"God! Why?"

Sarcasm dripped like venom from his voice. "I thought it would bring closure to our relationship!"

"You killed my—my—"

"Your what!"

"My—"

He overturned the coffee table in an act of rage. "You're fuckin' what? Huh! Your what, bitch? I'll shoot myself in the head if you can tell me that cat's name!" He grabbed her arm as he held the unloaded six-shooter to his right temple. "Go ahead! Your what? Your precious little—"

"Skippy. Skippy." Donna went off the queue from her friend.

Rocco, who was certain that wasn't the cat's name, exploded. "Oh, Jesus! What color was it, bitch?"

Donna was shocked that he would ever speak to her, a lady, in such a manner! The very thought!  
>Rayvie jumped to her friend's defense. "Don't you fuckin' yell at her like that, you prick!"<p>

Rocco held the gun to Rayvie's head. "Shut your fat ass, Rayvie! I can't buy a pack of smokes without runnin' into nine guys you fucked!"

The blonde whimpered and sunk into the couch.

Connor and Murphy grabbed their coats, their bags, and the case with the cash.

"Let's go!" Connor called.

Rocco agreed whole-heartedly. "Let's get the fuck outta here!"

The three men leapt down the stairs and out of the building as the Italian continued to rant and rave about the men he had worked for since he was a teenager. "Those rat fucks! All of them were all laughin' at me, man!"

Just to be sure, Murphy asked, "Are ye sure ye killed 'em, Roc?"

"Fuckin' A right I did! I had a goddamn turkey shoot over there!"

Connor, trying to get just a little more information, inquired, "Listen, Roc, did anybody see yah?"

Rocco dug into his pocket before tossing the keys to his car over to Connor. "Fuck, man! I might as well have gone around postin' flyers!" He slammed a hand down on the roof of his car. "Right out in public, man!" He hid his face in his hands on top of his car.

Murphy, with a laugh in his voice, patted Rocco's back. "Liberatin', esn't et?"

Connor who was already behind the wheel called out to the two, "Let's fuckin' go!"

"Yah know, it is a bit." Rocco said as he climbed into the backseat.

After his brother had climbed in, Connor took off down the street. He planned on going back to their place. The cops weren't crawling all over there anymore and their names had been cleared. If anything the others who lived in the building would congratulate them on taking out those evil men who were trying to kill them. Connor snorted a little laugh at the thought.

As they were driving they passed by what was called (using the politically correct term) an adult entertainment parlor called the _Sin Bin_. Rocco looked out the window and saw the unlit neon sign. It was like a gift from God! He quickly called out to Connor. "Connor! Stop the car! Stop the fuckin' car, man!" As the driver came to a stop, Rocco explained himself. "Vincenzo, that fat motherfucker, Yakavetta's right hand! He's the one that set me up, then he went around tellin' everybody I was as good as dead. He goes in there very Wednesday night at ten o'clock and jerks off to the same titty dancer. Never misses."

Murphy, wondering why his friend had decided to discuss the masturbation habits of a mafia under boss asked, "Yeah, so?"

"So? So let's kill the motherfucker! I mean, what are you guys? That's your new thing, right?"

Connor, not too into Rocco's idea, shook his head. "Yeah…Well…"

"Ah, what the fuck! I mean, who makes the cuts? Is there a raffle or something?"

Murphy turned to look back at Rocco. "To tell ye the truth, dose first ones, they just sorta fell inta our laps."

Curious, Rocco asked, "Well whaddya do?"

"We haven't really got a system o' decidin' who, Roc. It's—"

Rocco looked from one brother to the other and back again a few times before calling out, "Me! Me! I'm the guy! I know everyone, their habits, who they hang out with, who they talk to!" He counted off on his fingers. "I got phone numbers, addresses! I know who they're fuckin'! I know where they live!" It was like his wish for the perfect revenge had come true! "We could kill everyone!"

Murphy looked to his brother. "So whaddya think?"

Connor nodded a bit. "I'm strangely comfortable wit' et." He started the car up and drove off. "Alright, Roc, you can help us out 'ere. Ye gotta earn et, though! First things first, we're gunna go back ta our place an' just take et easy. We aren't doin' anythin' 'til we gotta hit up the Sin Bin. Got et?"

The other two men nodded.

"Good." He wasn't sure if he liked the strange feeling of leadership he had. Sure, he had made the initial plan and he seemed the have the most level head about all of this. Did that make him the leader of this little vigilante gang? _Great. Another fuckin' thing to think about. Which brings me back to the biggest issue I've got right now: What am I gunna do about Kareen? Fuck…_

**Speaking of…**

Kareen was sitting on the edge of the tub. She felt awful. Yeah, she could hold her liquor but it always came back and bit her in the ass the next morning! This was worse, though. She hadn't been able to keep anything down all day. With a vicious thought she blamed Connor. How it was his fault didn't matter, it just seemed fair to blame him. Wait! She figured out a way to blame him as she wiped her mouth for a rather bad bout of vomiting. If he had shown up the night before she wouldn't have had almost an entire bottle of wine to herself and she wouldn't have drunken the liquor with Ally. She wouldn't have woken up with a hangover and the urgent need to vomit. Had none of this happened her uncle wouldn't have told her to take the day of rest. This pissed her off even more! With every step and every breath she was cursing Connor's name.

Walking out of the bathroom she found Dory sitting on the couch. "Uh…Hi?"

Dory stood. "What happened? Ally told us Connor stood you up and now Doc is sayin' you've got the night off because you're sick!"

"Hungover…"

"Trust me, if you were hungover you wouldn't still me giving praise to the Great White Round One. Now, sit down and let's talk."

Kareen, not in the mood for friends, glared at Dory. "Don't ye have work ta do?"

"I'm on my break. Now hurry up already!"

Groaning, Kareen sat down beside Dory on the couch. "There's nothin' ta say."

"What about the fact that Ally says you're gunna break up with Connor?"

She snorted. "Whah 'bout et? I fully intend on givin' 'im de boot!"

"What! Why? This is the first time he's ever done somethin' really, really wrong! You can't just kick him to the curb after one mistake!"

"T'ain't de first, Dory! First 'e pissed me off when 'e laughed wit' all his friends 'bout how upset I was! Den he an' Murphy started dat fuckin' bar fight wit' de Russians! Ye saw de papers! I told 'em no good would come of et! He put de fuckin' cherry on top when 'e didn't show last night! Not to mention I told 'em ta tell me everythin' dat happened wit' de Russians an' neither came!" Tears were stinging her eyes. She was finally showing how much it hurt. Now she let herself cry sad tears of disappointment. How could he do this? "I told me family he wouldn't be an ass like Kian…"

Dory pulled Kareen into her embrace. "Oh, honey! It's alright! Look, let him explain himself, okay? If he's full of shit kick him to the curb, but if he's genuinely sorry give him another chance!"

The brunette pulled back, sniffling. "But whah ef 'e's full o' shit an' bein' genuine?"

"Oh…Uh…Well. Hmm…Yah know what, if he's full of shit but genuine you gotta make him work to prove he means it! C'mon Kareen, don't give up on him just yet. This happens to everyone. All couples hit a rough spot."

Kareen stood up and wiped her eyes. "Thanks…Uh…I'll be right back."

Dory listened with a frown as she heard her friend empty what little there was in her stomach.

"De hell es even in me anymore! I haven't eaten en two hours!" The brunette whined as she walked out of the bathroom with a hand on her forehead. She wiped a hand over her face and turned to her friend. "Ye should be getting' ta work."

With a sigh, Dory stood. "Just drink water and juice and such. It'll keep yah from throwin' up bile." When she had shouldered her bag and had a hand on the knob she turned back to Kareen. "You sure you're alright?"

"Like a field o' fuckin' daisies."

Dory smirked. "Yah know, I think I liked you better before you learned how to be a bitch!"

"Oh haha! Go on, den! Get!"

The blonde laughed as she skedaddled out of the apartment and back down to the pub where her job waited.

Kareen sank onto the couch after getting a bottle of water from the fridge. She was certain there had been something in the food at the restaurant. With a snort she thought _I'm sure as hell not goin' back there any fuckin' time soon!_

**After the Minute Hand had made a few rotations**

Connor, Murphy, and Rocco were waiting in the alley behind the _Sin Bin _for Vincenzo to make his appearance. They were banking on the Mafioso's habit. The brothers were doing this for the satisfaction of taking out a bad guy; the Italian was doing this for the satisfaction of revenge. _Revenge is a dish best served cold_, they say. When Rocco saw a car approach that he was certain belonged to Vincenzo he went out to investigate. Upon his return he told the brothers that their target had arrived. They walked into the parlor as if they were just customers…customers with fully-loaded weapons beneath their pea coats and masks tucked into their pockets…The three men walked into the dancer's dressing room. Connor and Murphy stood at the door with Rocco behind them. They pulled on there masks and got their weapons from their hidden spots beneath the pea coats. Murphy turned to look at Rocco and make sure he understood what was about to go down. When he caught sight of the man's homemade ski mask he couldn't help but laugh. Connor, curious as to why his brother was laughing, turned and couldn't suppress a laugh of his own.

"What? You guys got masks!" Rocco said, in his defense.

"Ye look like Mush Mouth from Fat Albert!"

Irritated, Rocco tore off his horrid mask. "Fine! Fuck it! When we're through, she can ID me! I don't care. Just tryin' to be professional, but no!" He spoke in a harsh whisper.

Connor was trying to calm his friend a bit. "It looks fine!"

"No! Fuck it!"

"No! Shut the fuck up! Ye look good. Put it on. Ye look fuckin' scary, man!"

As Rocco pulled his mask back on, Connor couldn't help himself. "Now, Roc, are ye sure thah yer O-B-kay-B?"

Murphy laughed as Rocco said a couple colorful, choice words in Connor's direction. The three broke down the door and let the party begin!

**Later That Night**

_"The victims were found at a local adult entertainment parlor. These murders, coupled with the three suspected mob-related killings that occurred at this local Boston deli earlier this afternoon brings the death toll to six, just today. There is no doubt that all the victims have been criminals. Perhaps this explains why a public outcry to have these crimes stopped has not been heard."_

"Kareen! K-Kareen c'mon on en here a minute!"

The brunette, who had been getting ready for bed, walked out of her room. "Whah, Uncle Ian?"

"C'mere! Ye gotta see thes!"

She frowned, but plopped down on the couch next to her uncle and watched the eleven o'clock news. Pictures of where and when the murders had taken place danced their grim ballet across the screen. Her frown only deepened. "Why am I watchin' thes?"

"All d-d-de victims were c-c-cri-criminals _Fuck! Ass!_"

Standing, she ran a hand through her hair to separate it before she began to plait it loosely for bed. "Well, good. I donna like de crime en thes country. Too much. Dese guys are doin' right ef y'ask me."

Doc watched his grandniece walk back to her bedroom with a bit of a nod. She was right. These guys had decided to take the law into their own hands and were doing a better job of ridding the world of evil than the cops did. He liked these guys. In fact, he thought there was something oddly familiar about them. Shrugging the thought off, he stood and headed back downstairs. He had only come up for a moment to get something and check of Kareen. She was still getting these awful waves of nausea. It was strange though, she would feel nauseas and possibly wretch, and then suddenly she would be right as rain until her stomach turned again. She had promised him she was fine and it would pass. Kareen informed him she was sure it was just stress and maybe something she ate. Doc believed her, too. He agreed that it must have been something she ate or stress. Everyone, the waitresses and the old bartender, knew Kareen had been stressed and angry for weeks now. Hell, they were certain she had also stopped being the little bird when it came to eating as well. Kareen had always been a one-helping, more veggies than meat sort of girl. Since her stress levels went up she started to indulge in the more calorie-packed end of the food spectrum. Yet seeing as how she was hurling half of what she ate there was little affect on her waistline. It was an unspoken agreement between Doc and his employees that if this continued for another week Kareen was being taken t a hospital…even if she was kicking and screaming about it.

**A Coffee House**

Connor, Murphy, and Rocco were sitting in a small, unnoticed coffee house towards the back in their own little corner. They were enjoying a nice cup of the hot, caffeinated liquid.

Rocco set his little mug down. "Alright, let's talk some business here. I know I sick fuck makes the ones we been doin' look like altar boys. Worst night of my life when I met this guy. The guy never says a fuckin' word to me. We're drivin' twenty-five minutes, never a sigh, no throat clearin', nothin'. His face—blank, man. Just nothin' there. This guy takes out a whole family—wife, kids, everyone—like he's orderin' a fuckin' pizza." He gave a sigh. "I knew if I didn't keep it together it was my ass. He has a poker game out back of his place with a bunch of wise-guys every Saturday." The world came back to him. He was back in the coffee house and back with the brothers. He stared at the mugs on the table. "Worst day of my life, man…"

Murphy looked to his brother. "Well, I'm sold."

The Italian looked up at Murphy and then to Connor, waiting for the second bother's approval.

Connor nodded. "Don't worry, Roc. We'll do thes guy right an' ye'll feel a lot better."

Rocco sighed in relief. It would be a major weight off his conscience if the motherfucker he was thinking of would just fucking die.

**A/N Alright, alright, alright! Pour the wine and cut the cheese! I'm in a bad, yet good mood right now. I don't know how that works...Well, Wednesday is the first day of school and I may be starting work this afternoon or tomorrow, it all depends. I hope I can get another chapter or two done by the first day of school! **

**Please review –puppy dog eyes- Pweeeeease!**


	27. My Compliments To Willem Dafoe

**A/N Alrighty then! By the way, random word of the day: penguins.**

**I just realized a very sad, sad fact. Arrows to Bullets was twenty-six chapters long and a little over 55,000 words. At twenty-six chapters, Bound by Pages clocked in at approximately 80,300 words. Wow o.O**

**Also, I mention a 'Gay Moment' I would like it known I have no issues with homosexuality and am not a homophobe. **

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: My Compliments to Willem Dafoe**

Murphy was sitting slightly off-center in the driver's seat of the borrow van. He and Connor knew a guy at work who was willing to let them borrow his van on the day off. The guy did yard work or something like that on the side and used the van to haul around the required tools and machinery he needed. The guys were grateful to the man…even if the man had no idea just what his van was being used for. Now it was Saturday and they were waiting. They had watched the house for a couple days to check the regular activities. A kid lived there and he often went on a bike ride to a friend's house or around the neighborhood every evening. When he left he would keep the garage door open for reentrance later on. The wife was a stay-at-home mom. Rocco informed them of all the information he knew on the guy, his family, and his buddies. The wife knew the numbers to get into the 'man cave' of sorts in the backyard. All of his buddies were scum like him who dealt around with the mob. The vigilantes wouldn't harm the wife or the son, but they intended to wreak serious havoc in the man cave.

"There 'e goes." Murphy announced as he watched the kid ride off on his bicycle down the street and away from the house.

Connor pulled the side door open and hopped out with his duffel bag in hand. His brother followed next with Rocco coming out last. They walked up to the open garage door and let themselves in. Rocco went in to find the wife and get her bound and gagged while the brothers shut the garage door and made certain no one saw them. When they went into the house Rocco had already slapped some duct tape over the wife's mouth and was working on her hands. The three nodded to each other. In a rather rough manner, Rocco pushed and shoved the wife out of the house.

The wife was terrified out of her mind. Who were the masked men who came into her house and bound her like some hostage? Why did they want to get into her husband's little garage? Why did they have guns? Were they going to shoot her? What about her son! Would they shoot a child? Who were these men!

"Hit the numbers, lady. Hit the numbers! I will kill you! I will kill you!"

"Don't! Her hands are taped!" Connor said, shaking Rocco away from the woman.

Murphy stepped up with his Rambo knife and cut through the tape.

Rocco pushed his masked up. He had finally acquired a mask that wasn't makeshift! "Why do I always gotta be on bitch duty?"

The wife quickly pushed in the five-digit code on the little panel. Ducking down, she covered her ears and waited. A sudden shock of pain passed through her and she fell to the ground. All the light in the world was gone and she had no idea was happened next.

Inside the building the wise-guys Rocco spoke up heard the little buzzer go off. The hitman that was their target was heading into the bathroom. He told one of one of his friends to go ahead and let in the last guy they were waiting for before the game could begin. When the man opened the door what happened next was totally unexpected. The men in the room were staring at three armed and masked men. No one moved.

Rocco looked at the guys. He recognized a few who were bad business and a couple who were in with the Yakavettas. He sneered. "All of 'em."

The three men open fired on everyone in the room.

Some of the targets were armed, but the weapons were useless pieces of metal as bullets entered their chest cavities. Two of the targets ducked down underneath the pool table in hopes of getting away from the madmen at the door. This plan failed as Rocco dropped to his knees and shot at them. Rocco got to his feet and started to check the face of each man, hoping that the bastard he wanted dead was among them. But…

"Shit! Shit! He ain't here!"

"Aw, what de fuck do ye mean, he esn't here!" Murphy cried out in an accusatory way.

Rocco, being one to state the obvious, called back, "I mean he ain't here!"

"Look again, for fuck's sake!" Connor hollered over the din.

In an attempt to defend himself, Rocco shouted back, "I know what the fuck 'e looks like!"

Murphy noticed there was a door behind Rocco and it was opening! "Look behind yah!"

Turning, the Italian went to the door and looked inside. He noticed the rose-tinted glasses and immediately stuck his arm in through the slot and shot at the man. The man wasn't unarmed, however. Rocco suffered a nasty whack to the arm with a towel rod. "Ah! Son of a—" He backed off.

The man in the bathroom looked out at Rocco. Recognition spread over his face as he stared at the man.

"Oh, shit!"

The hitman came out of the bathroom and chased Rocco the short distance. He had grabbed a handful of the mod-traitor's coat when he was grabbed by Murphy.

"Shoot this motherfucker!"

Connor came upon them. He wrenched his brother off of the man. "No! Let the bloke go! Let 'im go!"

Murphy was forced to release the man.

The man jumped on Rocco, ready to kill him!

"Fuck! Jesus!"

"Now's yer chance ta earn yer stripes, Roc!"

Murphy, not willing to see his friend get killed, struggled against his brother. "He'll fuckin' get killed!"

Connor snarled at his brother. "Et was yer idea ta bring him en!" He turned back to the struggling Rocco. "Alright, Roc! Now's yer chance! You take dat man!" He noticed movement in the corner of his eye. A man wasn't quite dead. He strode over and shot the man. With a little show of skill, he caught the bullet casing and crossed himself with it.

Murphy, wanting to help his friend, looked around for something he could give to Rocco in assistance. His eye caught the pool table. With a satisfied grin he grabbed the cue ball and rolled it across the floor to Rocco.

The Italian grabbed the ball and hit the man on the side of the head. The man fell back onto the couch. Rocco jumped on him and started beating him repeatedly about the head and face with the ball "Sick fuck! Sick fuck! Sick fuck!" He shouted a word each time the ball came in contact with the target. When the man stopped moving, Rocco stood up.

Connor nodded. "Alright then."

Rocco went at him. "Fuck you, fuckin'—"

Connor grabbed his friend and flipped him over onto the pool table. "Now take a fuckin' deep breath there, Roc! Ye did fine! Et was nicely done!" He covered his friend's mouth with a hand and 'kissed' him. There was Connor's one Gay Moment of the day!

Rocco laid there for a moment, catching his breath. When he finally sat up, he nodded to the brothers. "Let's get the fuck outta here."

They nodded in agreement and picked up their discarded coats and masks. The three went into the house through the back door just as they had exited. As they walked through the house they put on their sunglasses and headed for the front door. When they stepped out onto the front steps, they stopped.

A man stood across the street from them. He was dressed in all black from head to toe. The only alleviation to the dark was the grey-white beard and hair. Half of a cigar stuck out of his mouth. With one swift movement he pulled open his coat to reveal six guns strapped to his chest. Oh, shit! He pulled two guns out and took aim.

The brothers grabbed their guns and aimed at the man over Rocco.

There was a firefight!

Guns blazed! Bullets whizzed through the air! Window-shattering bangs sounded! More often than naught, the bullets would totally miss their targets. They rarely imbedded themselves into the flesh of their targets. Instead, the car behind the older gentleman and the house behind the three young men became riddled with holes. Shouts of frustration burst from the throats of the men. Rocco screamed out as a bullet collided with his hand. He dove into the bushes for cover and for a second to inspect his hand. His left pinkie was gone! He screamed curses at the opposing gunman. Soon a second shout of pain rang through the air as a red flower blossomed from Connor's pants leg. More angry than upset, Connor regained his balance and shot at the man. He would not deny himself the grin of satisfaction as he saw a spray of red leap from his opponents arm.

The gunman turned and ran as soon as his last pistol was out of bullets.

"Murph! Are y'alright!" Connor cried out to his brother, unsure if he had also been hit.

"Motherfucker!" Was the only response given as Murphy finished off the bullets in his gun, not hitting anything but air and a car or two.

Connor tried to get some control. "Roc! Get de fuckin' bag!"

"Fuckin' shit! Christ!" Murphy called as he came out of the bushes. "What the fuck was that!"

"Get the blood! Get the blood!" Connor cried as he sprayed down a patch of blood on a pillar with some ammonia. He tossed a can to his brother.

"He shot my fuckin' finger off!" Rocco cried out, holding up his bloodied hand.

Connor, more concerned with the evidence of the scene, turned on Rocco. "Roc, what the fuck! Get de fuck outta here!"

More fumbling and yelling occurred before they finally had all of their gear. Two ran while one hobbled painfully back to the borrowed van. They jumped in with Murphy behind the wheel and sped off. All the while Connor and Rocco were screaming at each other while Rocco tore apart his shirt to make some makeshift bandages. The Irishman demanded to know who the shooter was and the Italian swore he didn't know him. The back and forth went on for a while before Murphy, tired of their bickering, slammed on the brakes and threw the already injured men around the back of the van in a painful tumble. This ended the arguing until they pulled up to an apartment complex. Rocco said he had some family who lived there.

Luckily the owners of the apartment weren't home or else they would freak at what burst through their door. Three men, bandaged and bloody, headed straight for the kitchen. Murphy, pulling some intelligence out in a very stressful situation, had said they needed to seal the wounds some how. Connor suggested they cauterize the wounds with an iron. Rocco could only add in a snide remark about the fact that it would hurt like a bitch.

As they burst into the kitchen, Connor started to yell at Rocco again. "Who de fuck was 'e, Rocco? I know ye fuckin' know, so don't even start!"

"Fuck you!" Rocco hollered back. "I told you I never saw him before!"

Murphy hopped into the shouting match. "Well, he sure as fuck knew you!"

"Fuck you! Fuck you both!" Rocco screamed, getting tired of their accusations. He said he didn't know the guy! They needed to back the fuck off!

They continued to scream at each other as Connor set the iron to heat up on the stove. Curses of the most colorful nature were tossed back and forth. Accusations and excuses coupled with nasty curses rang through the air. Tension thick enough to cut hung over their heads. It didn't get any better when Connor announced that the iron was ready for use. Now—along with angry tension—dread hung in the air. None of them felt like putting a burning hot iron to their skin…

They looked at each other, waiting for one to volunteer.

Murphy clenched his fists. "I'll go first."

They nodded.

Connor instructed his brother to lie on the table and to bite down on a dishrag. He told Rocco to hold Murphy down and keep him as still as possible. Not wanting to cause serious pain to his beloved twin, Connor tore open the arm of his brother's turtleneck. He removed the makeshift bandage and wiped away as much of the blood as possible before he retrieved the hot iron. With a grimace, he lowered the iron slowly to make sure he aimed properly before pressing it to Murphy's arm.

Murphy bucked and screamed against the towel.

The rancid scent of burning flesh began to fill the air.

When he was certain the hole was sealed, Connor removed the iron. He quickly wiped away whatever he could so there was no sharing of flesh and blood amongst the men. He put the iron back down to let it heat up some more.

Rocco opted to go next. He put the rag in his mouth. Connor held the rag tight as Murphy grabbed the iron. This was sick…Again the smell of burning flesh filled the air as Murphy pressed the iron to where a pinkie once connected with Rocco's hand. The Italian writhed in pain and screamed against the towel. With what little control he had he forced himself not to let his left arm move.

When the hole was sealed Murphy did as his brother had and wiped the bottom as best he could before placing it back on the burner.

It was Connor's turn. He sat down and tore the hole in his jeans wider for better access to the wound. Murphy stood behind him and held the rag taught. Rocco sat before him and didn't waste time with pushing the burning metal onto Connor's injured leg. He didn't scream like the other two had. No. Connor bit down on the rag and reached back to grab a handful of his brother's hair as he screwed up his face and took the pain like a man.

When the wounds were sealed as best as could possibly be done they wrapped them up with stuff from the apartment's first aid kit and sat down at the table for a smoke and a beer. Rocco turned on the television. It was on a news channel. The brothers instantly recognized the man in the dark suit. It was FBI Special Agent Smecker. They watched the screen as the man spoke.

_"I'm confident that their investigation will end with the apprehension of the suspects." _

Already annoyed with the screen, Rocco turned it off.

Connor sighed. "Fuckin' hell."

"What? What, that guy?"

Murphy gave a little explanation. "Thah's de guy that got us off de hook wit' the Checkov thing."

"An' 'e's one smart man," Connor added.

Rocco shook his head. "They got nothin'."

"Well, this guys is very sharp. Ef 'e hasn't figured us out yet, he will."

"You bet yer ass 'e will."

Rocco's eyes widened a bit. "Well, I'd say that makes him a lia-fuckin'-bility!"

Connor shook his head. "He esn't ta be touched."

Murphy nodded in agreement. "He's a good man."

"Okay, whatever." Rocco took a swig of his drink before standing and going to the bathroom.

Connor turned to his brother. "I need ta go."

"De fuck ye talkin' about?"

"I need ta talk ta Kareen. Dat shet was too close today." He ran a hand over his face and through his hair. "She's probably boilin' over right now. I mean I fuckin' forgot 'bout the dinner an' dat was Tuesday! Et's fuckin' Saturday!"

Murphy shook his head. "No! Ye can't! Ye know ef yah go yer gunna tell 'er! She's a good girl, Conn. Kareen wouldn't just keep shut about et!"

"How do ye know? How do ye know she won't just give dat little grin o' hers and say she doesn't know anythin'? Pretty as she es any cop would believe 'er! Ef anythin' she'll still be mad an' would refuse to talk to a cop 'bout me. Don't yah think?"

Murphy mulled it over. He looked around the little kitchen while he thought. They had cleaned up their bloody mess. He lit the cigarette hangin' out of his mouth. "Go…but don't tell 'er." For once Murphy seemed to be the logical one. "I don't wanna risk et. Make somethin' up, man. Pull some good bullshit outta yer ass er somethin', but don't tell 'er!"

Connor stood and grabbed his coat. "Fine." He stormed out of the apartment.

Rocco finally returned and was confused. "Hey man, where the hell is Connor?"

"He went ta go talk ta Kareen. Don't worry, he ain't gunna tell her anythin'…I hope."

The two men just stared at each other. Both feared that Connor would run his mouth off and get them in a world of shit. They could only hope that whatever bullshit story he made up was believable enough.

**A/N Will his story be believable? Will Kareen accept whatever he has to say? Stay tuned!**

**Please review! They make me smile :D**


	28. Have A Nice Trip, See You Next Fall

**A/N How am I doing so far? Let me know! I will let you know we are honing in on the last few chapters of the story. I'm guess-timating this one and perhaps five more. I honestly don't know! I may squish two together, I may break one up! I don't know how long this one is going to be.**

**I apologize ahead of time for the title of this chapter.**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Have a Nice Trip, See You Next Fall**

Connor went home first. He wanted to change and get in a shower before going over to talk to Kareen. There was no need for him not to be at least ninety-percent when he went over. When he walked into the apartment the first thing he noticed was the red blinking light of the answering machine. He frowned and hoped that he and his brother hadn't missed too many calls. They _had_ been gone from their apartment for almost a week. As he walked up to it he pressed the button. He tossed his coat down and listened to the playback, then the message system, followed by the message.

It was his own voice that spoke through the speaker. _"Ye've reached Connor and Murphy MacManus. Sorry we can't get ta da phone. Leave yer info an' we'll call back."_

The electronic woman's voice came next. _"You have one new message. First message. Message from March nineteenth"_

_ "Connor."_

He stopped moving and stared at the phone. That was Kareen! It was from the night of their date. Was she calling him prior to?

_"My darling dear."_

Why did she sound so happy?

_"Fuck off."_

Connor grabbed the console and hurled it across the room. "_Fuck!_" He knew that it was a message from _after _the time set for the date. He now knew she was pissed at him for sure, as he guessed. He just hoped she wasn't angry…_I've got to hurry! I've gotta get to her! _He took a quick shower just to wash off the sweat and residual blood. The water was cold and that seemed appropriate. After the shower he dried as quickly as he possibly could before putting on a fresh bandage and pulling on some clean clothes. His boots wouldn't get on his feet fast enough. Once fully dressed, Connor ran down the stairs. The wound on his leg screamed in protest, but he didn't seem to feel it. No. All he felt was the need to get to Kareen and talk about it.

His feet couldn't carry him fast enough.

When he finally burst into McGinty's his eyes went first to the bar. Kareen wasn't there. He walked up to the bar and got Doc's attention. "Where's Kareen?" The place was pretty empty. A few early patrons were there, but at only around seven PM no one else was ready for drinking despite it being a Saturday night.

Doc looked Connor over. It was the first time in days he had seen the man and he didn't know what to feel. He was mad at Connor for upsetting Kareen…but perhaps Connor was the only cure for whatever was ailing Kareen? He sighed. "Upst-st-stairs. She ain't well. Been k-k-kinda sick the last couple o' days." He fixed Connor with a steady gaze. "Don't go upsettin' 'er!"

Connor nodded and headed for the side stairs. He took the flight of stairs two at a time. When he got to apartment door he grabbed the knob. Suddenly, he stopped. Barging in might be unwelcome. Releasing the knob, he stood back and knocked politely.

"One moment!"

He heard her call from the other side. She didn't sound ill, but who could a man be certain just by the sound of her voice?

The door opened to reveal Kareen dressed in a pair of black cotton pants and a green tank top. Her hair was braided loosely and slightly askew. She looked tired and a bit peaky. When Kareen noticed who was at the door she slammed it with a harsh _crack!_

Connor groaned and knocked again. "Kareen. Please. Let me en."

"Go away, Connor!"

"No! I'm not goin' 'til ye hear me out a bit!"

"Fuck _off!_"

"I fuckin' said _no!_ I ain't goin' 'til yah let me en!"

The door swung open. "Fine! Fuck et! Come right on en!" She made her way into the apartment. Turning, she stood with her arms crossed and glaring at him. "Whaddya want?"

Connor walked in and shut the door behind him. "I just wanna talk. I wanna explain."

Kareen looked him up and down. _Remember what Dory said. Let him talk. Then decide. _"Fine. Talk." Her very words sent static through the air. The tension was beginning to mount.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean ta stand y'up. I fergot."

"You _fergot?_ Really? Why?"

_Yah see! I knew she'd ask questions I couldn't answer! Damnit! _"I can't tell yah."

"Why not?"

He frowned. "I just can't."

Kareen brushed past him and went to her bedroom. She had been in the process of getting ready for bed when the knock sounded. "Fine. You cin go now."

"Go?" Connor followed her into her bedroom. "Kareen, please, I'm sorry. I know you're pissed at me. I know ye probably wanna rip me ta shreds."

She stood at her dresser, pulling out a nightgown to wear for bed. "Ye know somethin', Connor? Ye got a lot o' nerve. _I _showed up on time. _I _sat dere for _forty_-_five_ minutes waitin' fer yah! I get home an' drink away bits of my anger wit' Ally. De next day I don't leave de bathroom fer ten minutes 'cause my face is stuck en de fuckin' bowl! Ye know what else? Et's been like dat since Wednesday! I ain't worked en four days, Connor! Every day I wondered ef ye'd show up ta explain an' when yah finally do ye can't even tell me why ye didn't _show_!" She had started in a steady voice and ended in loud yell.

Connor looked at her. He had argued with her before, but never on the level of what he knew was coming. "Look! I can't fuckin' tell yah but at least I came at all!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, ye're right, Connor. Ye came an' said ye're sorry. You should get a feckin' gold star fer dat! While we're at et, why ain't ye come 'round sooner, huh? Where yah been? Et's been days since ye been here an' I know you and Murph never go dat long wit'out visitin' McGinty's!" She glared at him from across the room.

He stared at his feet. "I can't tell yah…"

"Oh whah a fuckin' surprise! Why can't ye tell me, Connor? _Why_?"

"I just can't!"

"Connor MacManus ef ye can't tell me whah ye were doin' I'm gunna assume de worst!"

His eyes flashed a bit of anger. She wouldn't dare! "Dat ain't et!"

"Et's not? Well, den fuckin' tell me!" Tears stung the corners of her eyes. The fact that he had finally showed to say something had actually lightened her mood. However, her mood plunged lower than ever before when he kept saying he couldn't tell her. "Tell me, Connor!"

"I can't!"

She tossed her head. "Fine! Den I'm gunna assume ye're just like _Kian_! What else can I thi—" She stopped. Her stomach had suddenly done a back flip. She wavered on her feet for a moment before quickly walking to the bathroom. Dropping to her knees she unloaded what little was in her stomach.

Connor walked slowly from the room and followed her. He watched as he wretched. Finally, unable to stop himself, he walked in and pulled her hair back.

Kareen spat into the toilet before sitting upright and pushing him away. "Don't fuckin' touch me, Connor." She wiped a towel across her mouth before flushing the contents of the bowl down through the pipes. Leaning against the bathtub, she glared at him. "Just go."

He shook his head. "Not until we talk."

"Go, Connor."

"No."

She pushed herself up and shoved him aside. "Fine, then I will!" She was out of the bathroom and just about to grab her coat when his hand closed around her wrist.

"Neither of us are goin'. Not until we talk."

Kareen glared at him. "Ye gunna force me?"

"Ef I hafta."

They glared at each other for a few minutes before she finally consented to staying.

"Fine…Talk."

Connor sighed in relief. "Look. I can't tell yah because I just can't. I promise I wasn't cheatin' on yah. I swear."

She glared at him. "Den what? What kept yah away? Why can't ye tell me?"

He sighed and sat down on the couch. "I can't tell ye because I'm not allowed to. I would ef I could, but I can't. I just…I just can't, Kareen."

She took a deep breath. "Den 'cause ye can't, regardless o' what ye were doin', I am gunna assume de worst." She crossed her arms and looked away. "I cin only assume ye're too ashamed ta tell me. Ye won't even give a real reason as ta why ye can't tell me, Connor. Why aren't y'allowed ta tell me, huh? Who said so? What could be dat bad?"

He looked at his hands. There was no convincing her that he wasn't sleeping with someone else. He knew how much it probably killed her to assume such a thing of him, especially after he tried hard to let her realize he wasn't that kind of guy. He took a deep breath and looked up at her. She wasn't looking at him. He frowned. "Ef I tell ye, I know ye'd tell someone else an' I'd get en trouble."

She snorted. "Oh, so now I assume et's some shit like drugs er somethin'."

"Aw c'mon Kareen! Ye know I hate shet like dat!"

"Aye, I do, but what else am I ta think? Huh? Why don't ye just fuckin' tell me already!"

Connor was getting frustrated. He was used to the more understanding Kareen, not the fire-breathing bitch that stood across the room from him. With fists clenched, he looked up at her. "I can't."

"Oh, fuck you, Connor!" She stormed back to her bedroom.

Again, he was hot on her heels. "Why can't ye just accept dat dere are some things I just can't tell yah!"

She rounded on him when they were back in her room. "Because I've told yah everythin'! I told yah 'bout Kian, I told yah dat I was a virgin, I told yah everythin' dat ever meant anythin'! Do yah know how scared I was tellin' you I was a virgin? I was scared shitless! Do yah know what it meant ta me when yah comforted me about Kian an' Ellen? Dat's when I really started ta like yah! An' when I told yah I loved yah." She stopped, almost unable to continue. Anger and sadness rolled through her, trying to gain dominance. "I was so worried ye wouldna say et back…but ye did. De last man I loved lied an' cheated on me…I always thought ye'd be different den him…"

He walked up to her. He wanted to hold her. "Kareen, I am different from Kian. I promise. I ain't a cheater an' a liar—"

"Den tell me."

"I can't."

Kareen walked away from him and stood at her dresser. She stared at herself and him across the room in the large mirror. Her eyes drifted downwards. The silver and sapphire bracelet was still around her left wrist. Tears stung her eyes. The anger washed out of her as a flood of sadness and disappointment washed over her. With a trembling chin she put her right hand around the bracelet. "Connor…"

He watched her. In the mirror he could see the look on her face and the tears welling up in her eyes. It killed him inside as a single tear fell from each of her eyes. "Yes?"

She turned and fumbled with her wrist for a moment. Finally, she held out the bracelet to him. "I don't want et. Not any more."

He wouldn't take it. He couldn't take it. "Kareen…"

"No, Connor." She grabbed his hand and forced it into his palm. She didn't want the bracelet anymore. The worst had happened. Just like she had asked Dory, he was being sincere, but full of bullshit. This was her decision. Turning, she walked out of her room, tears in her eyes. It may have been her room and her apartment, but she needed to get out. Seeing as how she was in decent enough clothes to wear outside she just grabbed her coat and walked out the door.

Connor heard the door shut. He sank onto her bed and shut his eyes. When he opened them he stared down at his hands. The bracelet had lost all its beauty. Now the stones looked cloudy and the silver seemed dull. It was a dime-store trinket and nothing more. Connor was not a crying man. When in pain he clenched his jaw and got through it, when sad he ordered a beer and refused to cry, when so happy he could cry, he never did. Connor was not a crying man.

Connor felt two slow rivulets stream down his cheek. He was just about to reach up and wipe his cheek when he heard a slight shout, a thudding sound, and a collective holler. Jumping up, he pocketed the bracelet and ran out of the apartment. He was at the top of the stairs. It was all he needed. At the foot of the stairs with people approaching was Kareen. She was on the ground and looked almost broken. Her wrist was at an unnatural angle and her foot was pointed a little too straight. A large bruise was forming on her forehead and a slow stream of blood began to flow from a wound on her head. It was all too obvious she had tripped and fallen down the stairs somehow. Her eyes weren't open and from where he stood he couldn't tell if she was breathing or not…He couldn't tell if she was alive of not.

"_Kareen! No!_"


	29. Ian

**A/N I felt ended that last chapter with an author's note would have ruined the mood. I hope you understand now why I apologized in advance for the title. It's a joking title, but a serious chapter. I hoped it would through you guys off, but I had to apologize so you wouldn't think me cruel. Anyway, here's the next chapter everyone!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Blazing Saddles**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Ian**

Connor ran down the stairs and pushed a few people out of the way. "Doc! Doc, call de fuckin' ambulance!" He knelt beside Kareen and—despite the countless times the paramedics in movies and shows have told people not too—he lifted her up and checked for signs of life. If she was unconscious he could handle that…but not dead. Not Kareen. Not when it would be his fault! He held a hand to her neck, praying for a pulse. It felt like an eternity that he held it there.

Suddenly…

_Thu-thump…Thu-thump…Thu-thump…_

She was still alive!

Connor held her face in a hand. "Kareen! Kareen! Wake up! Please! Open your eyes!"

The patrons at the bar watched in horror. Those who knew Connor knew him as the beer-drinking, loud-mouthed, rowdy man, not this pleading man who looked to be on the verge of tears. A few in the crowd wondered how she fell. Some wondered if Connor had pushed her. Few who thought he had refused to believe it. It was no more than a wild, impossible thought. They all just watched as he cradled the unconscious woman, begging her to open her eyes or do something.

Connor wasn't aware of anyone else in the area. All he wanted was for the woman in his arms to open her eyes. Bringing her out of unconsciousness was the most important thing in the world to him. He wanted to tell her he was sorry and explain everything. He wanted to tell her about the media-dubbed Saints and that he would do anything for her to forgive him. Never in his life had he felt like the opinion of another person—a woman he'd known less than a year—was more important than anything. He needed to talk to her! He needed to tell her everything! But he couldn't…

When the paramedics arrived they had to force Connor to let her go. If taking her from him wasn't enough they denied him his request to ride along. Only Doc could go since he was family. Connor was left watching the ambulance drive off.

The patrons all left. There was no reason to be at the pub after what had just occurred. If they wanted to drink there were plenty of places that sold alcoholic beverages.

Connor didn't leave. Instead he walked behind the bar and sat down on the stool Kareen always sat on. He grabbed a half empty bottle of some kind of alcohol. It didn't matter what kind it was, it just mattered that it was alcohol. He picked up the phone Doc had behind the counter and called his own apartment. No one answered. No surprise there. Next he called Rocco's place. Donna answered, but Rocco and Murphy weren't there. Connor didn't know the number to the apartment they had gone to. So, he lifted the bottle to his lips, drank like The Waco Kid from Blazing Saddles, and sat the bottle aside. He hopped off the stool and grabbed the keys from under the counter. Connor made his way to the front door where he locked up the pub and turned out the lights before leaving. The hospital that Kareen would be at was clear across town. He'd walk if he had to. As his boots collided with the sidewalk he shoved his hands in his pockets. Connor had to bite back the emotions that ran through him as his hand came in contact with a cold metal hoop nestled in the depths of his pocket.

McGinty's stood empty and closed far too early. Many customers who had wanted a drink were confused. Since when was McGinty's closed on a Saturday night? It was unheard of! No one understood what was happening. However, if those people wanting entrance could residual amount of blood on the floor near the side stairs they might understand slightly or think up their own wild ideas as to why their favorite pub was not open.

**At The Hospital**

Doc was wringing his hands in the waiting room and shouting out his usual curses more frequently than normal. He had filled out what information on his niece he knew when a nurse put the clipboard and pen into his hand. Once that was done he was left to worry incessantly about Kareen. What he dreaded most was calling her family. He was certain they would either demand her return or somehow blame him. He wondered who was to blame. Was Connor the reason behind her fall? Had she honestly just slipped? Had she honestly just slipped because she was preoccupied with thoughts about Connor? Different ideas swarmed through his head at that moment. He hoped that when a doctor came out there would be good news. The thing that worried him most wasn't her injuries. What worried him most was while they were in the ambulance she regained consciousness for just a minute. She gasped and cried out in agony, her body clenching. She had tried to curl into a fetal position, but the paramedics held her down. When whatever had hit her past she lost consciousness again. He wondered if she had even regained consciousness to begin with. Perhaps her body was working as it should have while her mind was still out…It didn't matter. All that mattered was he needed good news to tell her folks.

The doors to the waiting room opened. Connor walked in and looked around. His eyes found Doc. Walking over, he sat down by the old man with one seat between them.

Doc turned at the motion and jumped when he saw Connor. "Connor! H-How'd ye get 'ere!"

"Walked."

The old man looked him over. It was obvious the younger man was worried about the woman and wanted answers. He frowned and sighed. If the fall was Connor's fault he could be mad about it later. Right now they were both just two worried guys in a waiting room. "N-N-No n-n-news yet _Fuck! Ass! _an' I d-d-do-don't know when we'll get some."

Connor nodded. "Alright."

Doc frowned. He wanted to get more than a one-word answer from the man. "Did ye c-c-call Murphy?"

"Yep."

"D-Did 'e answer? Es he c-c-comin'?"

"Nope."

Doc furrowed his brow. "Are ye g-g-gunna say more'n one word?"

"Dunno."

The old man resigned himself to the fact that Connor was not in a talking mood. Who would be? Doc was only talking to try and fill the silence and to get Connor to say more than one word at a time. Instead, the two men just sat there in silence with the occasional outburst from Doc. Few people were in the waiting room that evening. The silence was heavy, if only around the two men. Nurses worked quietly, the few others in the waiting room were as silent as the stars. It was maddening, especially when soon the sound of the clock ticking sounded like a hammer striking down on an anvil.

**Room 214**

A doctor stood in the room beside a woman lying on the bed. She was a lovely thing even with a nasty bruise that was half-covered with a bandage on her forehead. Her hair was long and lustrous, her skin was blemish free and of a good color. Her body was shapely and amply built. In his time the doctor had seen many women come through but none were as lovely as the unconscious woman. They were waiting for the woman to regain consciousness to test for signs of a concussion. When she did regain consciousness, which they guessed—hoped really—would be soon, there were a few things she would need to know…some would not be pleasant…No patient ever liked to learn the full extent of their damage, especially if it's the life-changing kind.

A nurse walked in. "Doctor. When she does wake up, her uncle is in the waiting room. He's one Ian McGinty. By the papers he filled out he is her only relative in the States. He did, however, put down the contact information for Dillon and Ryanne McGinty, her parents." She stood beside the man and looked at the woman. A deep sadness and want to comfort came over her. The young nurse knew the extent of the damage from Kareen's trip down the stairs. She looked up to the Doctor. "Do you think she knew?"

The doctor—well versed in the whole idea that those in the medical field should not become attached to their patients—frowned. "I don't know."

As if on queue, Kareen's eyes opened. She sat up, stopped by some wires that were connected to her. She looked around, frightened. The last thing she remembered was seeing the edge of a stair come at her face and now she was in a white room with two people standing by the bed.

The doctor quickly worked on calming the young woman. "Ms. McGinty! Please. It's alright. You are perfectly safe. You are in a hospital. My name is Dr. Kyle Jacobs. Do you remember what happened?"

She swallowed and looked at the kind face of the man. "I…I think I fell…down de stairs…" Why did breathing hurt!

He nodded. "Yes, your uncle told us that."

"Uncle Ian? Es 'e here? Can I see 'im?"

Dr. Jacobs nodded again. "Yes, you can see him. First, however, I need to tell you what all happened when you fell. Is that alright?"

She sighed. "Aye. Whah's the damage, doc?"

As much as he didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, Dr. Jacobs began. "Well, you broke your left wrist and your right ankle. I hope you're right handed."

She actually gave a little chuckle. "I am."

Jacobs continued. "Good! Also, if you would allow me," he pulled the little flashlight from his pocket, "I need to make sure you don't have a concussion or that it isn't a bad one." After checking her eyes, making her follow the tip of his pen, and reciting the names of her family member and their birthdays he was convinced she was fine. "You got a nasty bump on the head. Also, you've got some pretty nasty bruises and…"

Kareen had stopped listening. She wasn't thinking about her injuries or how long they wanted to keep her. What Kareen was thinking about was Connor. It almost brought tears to her eyes to think that it was more than likely over. A wave of anger would wash over her when she remembered it was all his fault to begin with. Emotions were tiny little people running around her mind with buckets of paint. They splattered it all around, trying to get their color to show the most. It failed though and all that came out was a jumbled, ugly, tie-dyed mess of emotions. She was only half paying attention when the doctor finally brought up the worst news.

_What did he just say?_

"I'm sorry…Say again?"

Jacobs sighed and repeated himself.

Kareen was dumbstruck for a few moments before the floodgates opened and the tears wouldn't stop.

Sadly, the doctor turned to the nurse and let her know that he would be coming out shortly to speak with Kareen's uncle. She left the room and made her way to where Doc was waiting.

Jacobs sat down on the edge of the bed. "You didn't know, did you?"

With shaking shoulders and sniffling, she shook her head. She hadn't known…

Nodding, he stood. "I'm going to go and speak with your uncle and let him know everything. After that I'll send him in here to see you."

She nodded.

The doctor walked out and headed for the waiting room. He had always hated dropping the major bombs on people like that. When he saved a life or told a patient good news it made being a doctor worth while…but it was when a person died and patients and their families cried that he wondered about his line of work. Oh, well. That was the life of a doctor. In the waiting room, he called out to those there. "I'm looking for Ian McGinty."

Jacobs noticed that two heads popped up. An older man and a younger man that were sitting together in the waiting room had looked up at him. He realized that the older man was obviously the Ian McGinty he was looking for and the younger gentleman was perhaps a friend of the McGintys.

Doc stood up. "H-How's Kareen?"

The doctor motioned for Doc to follow him. "I'm Dr. Jacobs. Kareen is fine. There should be no lasting…physical…damage," he said as he began walking away from the waiting room.

"Wh-Wh-Whaddya mean? _Fuck! Ass!_"

Jacobs sighed. "You live with Kareen, yes? Or she lives with you? However it goes?"

Doc nodded. "Aye."

"Tell me, Mr. McGinty, what has Kareen been like the last couple of weeks?"

Doc thought for a minute. He snorted a bit. "Unb-bearable. She's been m-m-moody an' st-st-stressed an' sick de last couple o' d-days."

Jacobs had stopped walking. They were just outside the door to Kareen's room. "In her fall Kareen broke her left wrist, right ankle, got a nasty bump on the head, and bruised a couple ribs. Due to her fall, the placenta tore away from the uterine wall." He noticed Doc's face of not understanding. Jacobs frowned. "Kareen had a miscarriage."

It was the strangest thing in the world, what Doc felt. At first he thought it was impossible. There was no way Kareen had been pregnant. Then, he realized it was highly possible and a good explanation for her behavior. He looked at the doctor. "C-C-Could ye tell how f-f-far she was?"

"We believe she was just about a month in. Probably a Valentine's Baby. Does she have a boyfriend?"

Doc nodded. "De m-man en de waitin' room."

"Would you like to tell him? Or would you like me to tell him? Or there's always having Kareen tell him, but I feel that kills women." Jacobs offered.

"I'll tell 'im. After dat, I w-w-wanna see Kareen."

Jacobs nodded. "Understandable. I won't be far. If you need me, call a nurse and have her page me." With that and a flourish of a white lab coat, Jacobs walked off to continue his duties.

Doc made his way back to the waiting room and sat down beside Connor. He didn't say anything. The old man was trying to piece together how to say it all in his head before even opening his mouth.

Connor looked at the man. He had relaxed a bit and wasn't so annoyingly worried. Now he was just plain worried. "What did the doc say?"

Doc put a hand on Connor's knee in a reassuring manner. "She's alr-r-right. Broke 'er wrist an' ankle. Bruised 'er r-ribs. Bumped 'er head." He was still trying to think of a good way to drop the bomb. A slightly genius thought came to mind. "You two went out fer Valentine's Day, yeah?"

Connor nodded. "Aye. Just a night alone. Why?"

It was awkward for Doc to talk about his niece sleeping with a man he'd known for some years and trusted. But he had to. "D-Did ye sleep together dat night?"

Had it been any other situation, Doc might have laughed at the slight blush on Connor's cheek. Obviously it was awkward for the man to talk about sleeping with the older man's niece. He nodded. "Aye."

"Did ye u-u-use protection?"

Could this conversation get any more awkward?

Connor thought about it. He honestly couldn't remember…but he wasn't sure they had. For some reason condoms had rarely come up between them. In fact, he was surprised Kareen wasn't….That was when he finally understood where Doc was taking this. He looked at the old man. "She's…?"

Doc swallowed and shook his head. "No…N-Not anym-m-more."

The world fell away from everything as the information he just learned fell into place. Kareen had been…and now she…They were going to be…but now…He put his face in his hands and thought about it all. Oh, it was perfectly possible. Anyway, hadn't this been a thought from the start? It was always possible…Looking up at Doc, he asked, "Can we see 'er?"

Doc nodded. "Aye. C'mon, lad."

The two walked in silence through the halls to where Dr. Jacobs had brought Doc. They stood outside the door, waiting for a good reason to actually walk in.

Doc turned to Connor. "I'll g-g-go en an' talk ta her first." He didn't wait for a nod of agreement or a vocalized understanding. Doc walked into the room.

Kareen was lying down with her left arm and right ankle in casts. Her ankle was propped up and her left arm was lying across her stomach. The nasty bruise and bandage combo on her head was highly unattractive. It was obvious she had been crying by how red and puffy her eyes were. She was a sad sight, indeed. When she looked at Doc, she gave a weak smile. "Hey, Uncle Ian."

He hobbled over and sat in the chair beside the bed. Despite the injuries and ugly bandages, even the tiny, weak smile brought the beauty back to her face. "D-D-De doc told me." He watched as tears welled up in her eyes.

Closing her eyes and looking away, her shoulders shook as she spoke. "I didn't even know."

Doc reached out and took her uninjured hand. "N-Now Kareen, don't fret. Et was an accident."

She looked up at the ceiling. Kareen felt the tears run from the outer corners of her eyes into her hair. Her chin trembled. "Et's punishment…I was so mad at Connor an' I gave 'im back de bracelet. I pretty much told 'im we were through. Thes es my punishment fer hurtin' a good man." She closed her eyes. She couldn't bear to keep them open anymore. However, every time she closed her eyes she saw the look on his face. She wouldn't apologize and she wouldn't take it back, but it hurt her to know she hurt him. The only justification she had for her actions was that he didn't trust her enough with a dark secret so she could no longer trust him with her heart.

"He's j-just outside de door ef yah wa—"

"No." Kareen shook her head vehemently. "Don't let 'im en. I…I don't wanna see 'im." With that she rolled onto her side so her back was to her uncle. She was done talking.

Doc stood, understanding she wanted to be alone. "Alr-right." As he walked to the door and was about to turn the handle he was stopped by her question.

"Does 'e know?"

He turned the handle and opened the door. "Aye. 'e knows."

Kareen buried her face into the slightly uncomfortable pillow as she tried to imagine how Connor would have taken the news. She was heartbroken herself. Ever since she had been a little girl, Karen had wanted a baby. It had started when her mom's best friend had the most adorable little boy when Kareen was four. Ever since then she had dreamed of the day she would have her own little boy. What made it all worse was that she was picturing what a little boy with Connor as the father would have looked and acted like. Hazel eyes with her brown hair, his smile and her nose. He would have been a gorgeous little boy and a spitfire to boot. She even named the child that would never be. In her head she called him Ian, after her uncle. Little Ian would grow up into a handsome thing, just like his father. He'd be a ladies man, but respectable. Smart like his mother and a lover of movies like his father.

Kareen cried herself to sleep thinking about Little Ian: the little boy that would never be.

**A/N Alright, I finished this and started to bawl. I would never wish such a thing on any woman. Losing a baby I never knew I had would kill me. I'm like Kareen, always wanted to be a mommy. I just hope I never cry over a baby that will never be.**


	30. MixUp In The LineUp

**A/N Alright, the last couple chapters have been depressing, I know. They had to be! I promise the sadness won't last forever. Here's the next chapter! **

**Oh, and another thing. Flanery and Reedus don't really have extremely thick Irish accents in the film, but I'm writing the accents thicker. Here's the deal. As per a rule of you cannot 100% copy the work you are writing a fiction about. This is me way of getting around the rule, yah know? Same words, but written differently. This ensures I'm not breaking any rules!**

**Chapter Thirty: Mix-Up In The Line-Up**

** The Following Morning**

Kareen had been signed out and was hobbling out to her uncle's little car on her single crutch. It had taken her almost half an hour to finally get the hang of hopping around with the crutch without it or her falling. The March morning was brisk, but warm at the same time. Spring was coming. The very thought made her die a little inside. With each Spring came new life. The very thought…Kareen had to push the images of a little boy from her mind as she lowered herself into the car with her uncle. It was a hard task to think about anything but Little Ian, but it was a task she had to master and soon before her sanity gave out.

Doc drove away from the hospital with worry on his mind. He had called Ally to get something for Kareen to wear home. She had brought a skirt and a tank top so it would be easy for Kareen to get dressed. It bothered Doc to see his niece in the skirt again. She had rarely worn skirts anymore, not it seemed she was forced to. Why it bothered him he wasn't sure, he just knew it bothered him. The drive was silent. He wasn't pushing for conversation, either. He knew Kareen wouldn't talk. She hadn't said a word all morning unless it was answering Dr. Jacobs' questions. He honestly wondered if she would speak again any time soon.

Back at the pub, Kareen hobbled slowly up the stairs. Once in the apartment she drew herself a bath and waited for the tub to fill. Sure she would have to keep half of her right leg out of the water and make sure her left arm never took a dip, but she wanted a bath. After stripping off her clothes and sinking into the water, she let herself just think. She didn't cry this time. Her face was blank as she just thought about it all.

**Meanwhile**

Connor shoved hairy Rocco's head back through the destroyed screen of the confessional. He stomped out of the little room. It was as if things couldn't get worse. Now Rocco had to be an idiot and hold a gun to the head of a priest! Really? Where was the sense in that? He slightly understood when he recognized Smecker's voice, but that still meant little in the end. It seemed that Kareen's perpetual bad mood had hopped bodies and was now on his shoulders. After Doc had told him she didn't want to see him he left the hospital. Going back to the apartment he explained everything that had happened while he was gone. He blamed his brother, though he wouldn't tell Murphy that. Had Murphy just let him tell Kareen she might not have gotten upset and walked out. She wouldn't have fallen. The worst part that was weighing heavily on Connor was he had yet to tell his brother and his friend what had occurred. He told them Kareen broke it off when he refused to tell her why he'd been gone, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about her fall and the…incident…just yet. Hell, he couldn't even think the word in his mind!

"Now listen. Um… "dominus ominus," you know. And remember! You're bound! Yah can't talk to anyone about this. No one!"

The preacher, in disgust, told Rocco, "Just get out of the church."

"Okay." Rocco made to leave

"Just get out of the church!"

As Rocco walked out of the confessional, Murphy walked up to him. The Italian smiled. "The Lord works in mysterious ways." He tossed an arm around his friend's shoulder and gave him a pat.

"Whah de fuck es thah supposed ta mean?" Murphy asked, rather confused about what just happened.

The two walked outside to find Connor, who looked lost in thought. The man was leaning against the church and staring at the ground with brows furrowed.

Murphy waved a hand in front of his brother's face. "Oi! Connor!"

Looking up, hazel eyes locked onto Rocco. "Who's next?"

Rocco was taken by surprise. "Whaddya mean?"

"I mean who de fuck es next, Roc!" He shouted a little too harshly.

The other two shared a look. Both were wondering if Connor was mentally stable enough for another hit.

Rocco swallowed. "I say we try an' hit Yakavetta. It's Sunday an' he's always home on Sundays." He nodded. Revenge is sweet, they say, and Rocco was still craving candy.

Connor nodded and pushed off the wall. "Perfect. Yah know…I think I wanna cal dat Smecker guy."

Confused, Murphy asked, "Why?"

"Look, 'e knows et's us, alright. He said ta da priest dat 'e wanted ta help, right? Well, I say we try an' recruit him fer tonight."

The two couldn't deny the ounce of logic behind Connor's motives. It did seem like a good idea. Anyway, an FBI agent that's on your side of the law might be helpful for covering tracks. This could end up being a good thing.

Connor dug around in his coat pockets until he found the card that Smecker had given Doc. They walked a little ways to a payphone. As they walked they talked. It was getting hot in Boston and they needed to get out before the cops or some hitman got them. As much as Connor didn't want to agree because of Kareen, he consented that they needed to get out of Boston. The three agreed on New York. What Connor didn't tell the guys was that he wholeheartedly planned on telling Kareen everything before they left regardless of the consequences.

He put in the correct amount of change at the payphone and dialed the number on the card. It rang three times before someone picked up.

_"Agent Paul Smecker here, how can I help you?"_

Connor was leaning slightly on the wall the phone was connected to. "Hey. Et's Connor MacManus." He wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. "We know yah know. We know yah wanna help. We're willin' ta work wit' yah, but only ef yah help us." On a normal day Connor wouldn't sound like such an ass. He would go about the conversation with finesse and style, not straight forwardness and a sort of lack of diplomacy.

There was a chuckle on the other end of the line. _"Alright. Talk."_

"Ef ye're willin' ta cover our tracks an' through de cops off our trails we'll work wit yah."

A long silence followed on the other end of the phone. Finally, the man spoke. _"Stay with that phone. Put more money in. Wait for a call."_

"Aye."

And that was the beginning of Smecker's involvement with the Saints of South Boston.

After hanging up Connor put in more change. They waited. It felt like an eternity. When would the damn phone ring! It was like a moment in a thriller movie where the suspense was mounting and mounting until one of the characters would snap. In this time Connor tried to relax and let some of his mood ebb away. He tried to reason away his anger. _It was nobody's fault what happened. It was an accident. There was no one to blame. Just bad luck. Ain't my fault, ain't Murph's fault, ain't her fault. It's nobody's fault. _Saying to himself over and over that it was nobody's fault was actually beginning to work.

Just then the payphone screamed out to the men, pulling them from whatever thoughts they had been thinking.

Connor picked up. "Hello?"

_"It's Smecker."_

Rocco and Murphy looked on with anticipation as Connor spoke with the FBI agent. This was a life changing phone call.

_"Can you give me anything about what happened yesterday afternoon? We're readin' nine shooters; you three and six others."_

Murphy saw a flash of anguish pass over his brother's face. What had been said? He watched the anguish dissipate and normalcy return.

"Et was only one guy. He had six guns. We dunno who 'e was, though."

_"That's all you can give me?"_

"The light hit de side of 'is face. Looked like 'e had a grey beard. Maybe late fifties, early sixties."

_"So you're telling me it was one guy with six guns and he was a senior friggin' citizen?"_

Connor leaned against the wall as Murphy and Rocco lit up a couple of cigarettes. "Yeah, an' et's better ef we find thes man before 'e finds us again."

_"I'll see what I can do. How do I get in touch with you?"_

"We'll hit Pappa Joe tonight, right en de comfort of 'is own home. We're gunna move on ta New York. Et's just—" He turned, thinking he heard something or someone approaching them. If there was, he couldn't tell. There were too many people in the sidewalk to differentiate amongst them. "Et's getting' a bit hot fer us here."

_"Be careful."_ There was some genuine worry in the agent's voice.

"Alright. Call yah tonight, afterwards." He hung up the phone.

Rocco held his four-fingered hand aloft. "It feels like it's still there!"

In his uncaring bad mood, Connor brushed past him to walk down the street. "Yeah, but et's not." He pushed ahead and walked a good ten feet in front of the other two.

Rocco turned to Murphy. "Hey man, whaddya think is eatin' him?"

"Really? Yah gotta ask? He's obviously pissed 'bout Kareen," Murphy replied with a smirk. "God, I've never seen 'im hung up on a girl like thah!"

Connor could hear them, but was choosing to ignore it…for now…

Rocco tittered a little laugh. "Yeah, who wouldn't be pissed at ruinin' wit' a gal like her? Men would give an arm or a leg to be with Kareen. I know I fuckin' would."

By now Connor was tense and starting to twitch just a bit in the left eye. The conversation was really beginning to bug him.

Murphy snickered. "Yah know, when we first met Kareen, he an' I joked about askin' her out. I never thought he'd have de balls ta do et. Too bad, huh?"

Rocco just nodded. "Yeah."

Connor lost it. He rounded on the two and—at the top of his lungs for all to hear—screamed. "_Shut the fuck up!_"

The two stopped dead, wide-eyed with terror.

"Seriously! I've got ears, yah know! I cin fuckin' hear yah! Jesus!" He turned and stormed off down the sidewalk to where the car was parked. There he was forced to wait for the other two to show up. When they did arrive, he got into the back seat with his arms crossed.

Murphy took the passenger seat and let Rocco drive. He couldn't see his brother's eyes, but he was certain the man was glaring at something. What he wanted to know was why his brother had snapped like that. Usually is Connor got mad he'd just give a shout or two and let it go with that. He wasn't the stomping-off kind. Had the joking and playful conversation really pissed him off that badly? If so, then Murphy knew he was in it knee deep!

**That Afternoon: McGinty's**

Doc walked down the short hall to Kareen's room. When they had gotten home she'd gone in and taken a long, hot bath. After that he remembered her going into her bedroom and not coming out. With her injuries he knew he couldn't have her work, but he wanted to at least let her know the pub was about to open and for her to feel free to come down if ever she wanted. Upon opening her door he found her laying in bed beneath the covers and in the fetal position. She was facing the door opposite the wall. He sighed. "K-Kareen?"

She didn't move.

_Is she sleeping?_

Nope. "Aye?"

At least she said something! His face gave a hearty twitch. "I j-just wanted ta tell yah dat I'm go-go-goin' down ta open up."

"Alright…"

Doc frowned. Her voice was quiet and sad. It was the voice so many actresses in so many movies tried to get perfect, but never could. Hers was the voice of a heartbroken woman. "Y'alright?"

"Fine…"

His frown deepened, but he knew there was nothing he could do to brighten her mood. He wouldn't push it, though. It hadn't even been a whole day since the bad news was dished out like rotten food onto her plate. With a little sigh of remorse Doc hobbled off downstairs to start a night of business.

Kareen laid in her bed, hugging a pillow to her chest with her good arm. After her bath she had pulled on the one oversized shirt she owned and crawled into bed. She didn't know how long she cried, but she cried until the tears would no longer flow. When that happened she would rest and soon she would start to cry again. She was currently in a dry spell for her tears and just thinking. Her mind had passed thoughts of Little Ian and moved onto other things. Now she was thinking about all the ways Connor could have taken the news had she ever found out about the baby. Even the possibility of him being overjoyed killed her because she would go back to thinking about the fact that he wouldn't get to be that happy because there would be no baby. From the beginning of their physical relationship they had occasionally mentioned if she ever got pregnant. Both were accepting of the idea (Kareen more than Connor, but what does it matter?). It had never happened though. Kareen supposed one could say they were lucky. She could count how many times they'd had sex with protection on two hands with a few fingers cut off. What she couldn't count was how many times they'd had sex sans protection. She was honestly surprised it hadn't happened sooner.

**That Night: Pappa Joe's**

"God! No!" Connor screamed out as he saw Yakavetta walk in with a gun in his hand. He knew what was about to happen. Which of them, he was unsure at first, but he knew one of them would meet their maker that night.

Yakavetta raised the gun as he stood a few feet from Rocco's chair.

There was nothing the brothers could do. They were both handcuffed to their own chairs. All they could do was shout and holler at the man.

_BANG!_

Rocco's chair fell backward with the force of the shot as a crimson river began to flow from his chest.

Connor screamed out. "Roc! Roc! _No!_"

In his fury and attempt to kick Yakavetta, Murphy fell over. He was able to buck and kick until his face was inches from Rocco's.

"Roc! _Roc! NO! _Roc! No!" Those two words seemed to be the only words in Connor's vocabulary at the moment as he shouted them over and over.

Rocco was struggling to breathe as he bled out. "You can't stop! You get outta here. Don't ever stop!" He convulsed slightly as he tried to breathe. There was more he wanted to say. In those last moments Rocco wanted to thank the brothers for everything they did for him. They made him see what kind of men he worked for. Those men were no longer the kind-hearted, benevolent men who took a wayward teenager under their wings. No, those men were the scum of the earth. The brothers had opened his eyes, if only for a few days. He wanted to thank them. Unfortunately, Fate had a different idea. _"Don't ever stop" _were the last words David Della Rocco would ever speak.

"_No! Roc!_" Connor continued his repetitive shouts before turning and yelling at the door, "Yah motherfucker!"

Murphy, much more easily moved to tears than his twin, let them fall from his eyes. "I'm gunna kill ever last one o' ye motherfuckers!" He kicked and bucked before settling to cry against the still form of Rocco.

The two cried out for their friend for only a short while before calming. They would mourn for him later, but right now was not the time. They needed to get out of their bindings and out of the manor. But how?

Connor closed his eyes to think for a minute. He tried to think of some movie plot that could help or a particular scene that would give him what he needed. However, all he could picture was Kareen. _Get out of my head, Damnit! _He mentally growled. Most of the day had passed and he'd gone without a thought of his girlfr—ex-girlfriend…Why did she have to show up now! Then he saw it! The reason behind it all! Connor had gotten only a glimpse of Kareen while she was lying in her hospital bed. She had on s couple casts. That was it! Broken bones! Connor quickly devised a plan. It would hurt, but one of them had to do it… "Murph! Murph! Get yerself over 'ere! I got a plan!"

Murph looked up at his brother from where he was lying on the floor. There—in Connor's eyes—was the same old spark! For a moment it seemed like Connor, the normal Connor, was back! He nodded and bucked and wiggled until he was by his brother. The two worked for a while to get Murphy upright. When that was done, Murphy waited to hear his brother's hopefully brilliant plan.

Connor gave a nod. "We gotta get outta these cuffs. One of us has ta break the hand o' de other."

"Break de hand? Are ye crazy?"

"Look! Ef yer hand es broken et'll slide right outta de cuff, right? Alright, who forfeits a hand? You er me?"

The two stared at their laps, then up at each other. Who would be willing to walk out of the house with a badly broken hand and who was willing to cause the break?

Murphy frowned. "Break my hand."

Connor looked slightly worried. "Yah sure?" He would be willing if Murphy was not.

The man nodded. "I'm sure."

With much hopping in chairs and repositioning they got into the position they needed. Murphy worked the cuff up his arm and held his hand flat and straight. He was able to get his collar into his mouth for something to bite down on. Meanwhile, Connor worked the end of his cuffs not attached to his ankle off the leg of the chair. He hesitated, but not for long after his brother yelled at him, in a muffled voice, to just do it! Rearing up, Connor smashed his booted foot against Murphy's hand. It killed him a little inside each time his brother cried out in agony. Sure they wrestled around at times and left a bruise or a black eye, but no serious pain was ever inflicted.

When Murphy was able to slip his broken hand out of the cuff it hurt like hell. The hand was already beginning to swell and turn purple. It definitely wasn't a pretty sight. Free from his cuffs, Murphy was able to get his ankles free.

Connor nodded. "Good. Uh…Oh! Our bas are over dere! Get yer fuckin' knife an' wait fer one of 'em ta get back down here. When 'e comes, jump 'im an' we'll see ef he's got a key fer de cuffs."

With a nod of understanding, Murphy walked over and rummaged through the bags until he came across his Rambo-esque knife. After retrieving the blade he walked across the room to where there was a little nook perfect for hiding. He waited.

It wasn't long before one of the mobsters came into the room. Confusion reigned freely on his face as he noticed one of the captives was missing. "What the fuck?" What happened next happened so quickly that he didn't realize all that was happening. He felt a pain in his back and a sudden inability to breathe. Next thing he knew he was on the floor having the living daylights being beat out of him. Finally, there was total nothingness. Had it even happened at all?

Murphy, using his good hand, rummaged through the man's pockets. He came up with a little silver key. "Aha!" Success was his! Despite the dreary atmosphere, Murphy allowed himself a pleased little smirk as he freed himself from the cuffs and helped his brother out.

They stood, free of their bindings, and looked at the still form of Rocco still bound to a chair. No words needed to be said as they both moved as one to lift his form back into a sitting position. Connor closed the dead man's eyes as Murphy undid the cuffs. After digging in a pocket, Connor came up with two bright, shiny pennies. He handed one to Murphy. The two placed a penny on each of the man's eyes and knelt before him. They bowed their heads and said in unison,

"And shepherds we shall be, for thee, my Lord, for thee. Power hath descended forth from thy ha—"

Behind them a gun clicked.

The two spun around with their own weapons suddenly in hand and aimed at the person. It was the shooter from the previous day! He was standing there, putting his gun back into his holster. And then…

He began to cross the room towards them. "Power hath descended forth from thy hand, thah our feet may swiftly carry out thy command. We shall flow a river forth unto thee, an' teeming wit' souls shall et ever be." He made the sign of the Cross. "In nomine patirs, et fili, et spiritus sancti." The older man dropped a hand to cradle the face of the young vigilantes.

Connor and Murphy looked up to the man. Who was he and how did he know their family prayer? Could he? Was it possible? Could this man—the very man who shot at them—be their _father_? No! It wasn't possible! Their mother had told them their father wasn't in the States. She had always said he was in Ireland, but never said where. Had their mother—their darling mother—lied to them? They both had the same thought. _Well, she won't friggin' tell us who's older!_

The bearded man looked down on the fraternal twin boys. He remembered them, but not as they were now. The twin brothers he knew for just a short time were babies, but he remembered them all the same. Their faces had changed. They had grown and were no longer chubby with baby-fat, but the features were essentially the same. The blue and hazel eyes were the same, the shapes of their mouths, the contours of their noses, it was all the same! He smiled slightly. "My boys."

Murphy and Connor took to their feet in unison. Both were skeptic, but for some reason neither could deny what they were certain was true. There was no way this man _wasn't _their father. They looked at each other, then back to the man. There was time for proper introductions and all that later, for now they needed to get out of the manor and back to a safe place.

The bearded man took the wheel. He seemed to read the boys' minds when he said, "We cin deal wit' introductions later. For now, let's get outta here!"

The twins nodded in agreement and followed the man out of the basement and into the main part of the house after retrieving their bags and coats. It was with a sad heart that they left Rocco behind. They went through the house. The brothers realized that no one else was still alive! Apparently they weren't the only ones with a murderous intent that night. They did find one person alive. A woman…man…both? After a quick inspection they realized it was Agent Smecker! The boys did share a quick laugh over it before decided it would probably be best for the FBI agent not to be around when the cops came to investigate what had occurred that evening. Murphy tossed the unconscious man over his shoulder and the trio left the manor, fleeing into the dark of the night.

They didn't stop until they were a good distance from the Yakavetta household. When they did stop they hid in the safety of the shadows. The brothers looked at the man who stared back at them in the darkness. There were so many questions in all of their minds but it was not the time for such things.

The man looked at the younger two and said, "We need ta be somewhere safe. Do yah know any place?"

The brothers shared a look. They knew a few places, but none that wouldn't be almost obvious. Hell, their Number One place to go would have been Rocco's, but that wouldn't be a good idea. Their place would be obvious if the cops found evidence of their involvement.

Murphy raised his brows. He knew of only one place they could go.

Connor frowned. "No. Absolutely not!"

"C'mon, Conn! Et's all we got!"

"No!"

The older man frowned. "Where es des place?"

Connor turned to his supposed father. "My girl…" He stopped, realizing that wasn't the right word at the moment. "My ex-girlfriend's place."

"Cin she be trusted?"

Murphy shrugged. "We dunno. Ef she asks whah happened we cin just say we got en trouble er somethin'."

"Damnit, Murph! I said no! I ain't botherin' 'er right now!"

"Son."

The two men turned and looked at the graying man.

The old man gave a little nod. "I'll explain et all. Right now, we just need somewhere fer a day er two."

It was with a grumble of discontent that Connor finally agreed to go to the McGinty apartment. Where else could they go?

**A/N Alrighty. I wrote the last bit of this while babysitting. It's strange how two boys—my little bro and his friend—remind me so much of Connor and Murphy! It's hilarious! They are both relatively blue-eyed, one is a sandy blonde and the other is a brunette, they look like they could be brothers, yet nothing alike at all, they pick fights constantly, and they both have accents (all be it Southern ones instead of Irish ones). It's funny, really : ) **


	31. What A Bitch

**A/N Watching two 7-year-olds play Prince of Persia: Sands of Time for some reason is the biggest inspiration I've had for writing in a while!**

**FYI "Derry" and "Londonderry" are the same place.**

**Chapter Thirty-One: What A Bitch**

Kareen was pulled from her sleep by the pounding on the door. She sat up slowly in bed and rubbed her face. How long had she been sleeping? It felt like hours, but the tiredness that still racked yer body made it seem like she had only nodded off for a moment. Upon looking blearily through the dim like in her room at her alarm clock she found she had been sleeping for almost eight hours. Wow! Longer than she thought! For a moment she ignored the banging on the apartment door to gather her thoughts and rub the sleep from her aching eyes. Crying certainly did a number on a person's eyes! As she finally got out of bed she pulled on her purple silk robe and pulled her hair out of its loose braid. She hobbled out of her room on the crutch. With a big yawn, she opened the door and said, "Ye do know de pub es downstairs, right?" She blinked a few times to clear her vision. Her jaw dropped a little at the sight of the three men before her. Two of the three had blood on their faces and the other was one she'd never seen before. One of the men had a person slung over his shoulder. She thought it was a woman.

The three men looked at the woman in the purple robe. One of them immediately felt a wave of depression wash over him as he took in her red, puffy eyes, casts, and the crutch. One of them was confused about the casts and the crutch, but was certain the puffy eyes were due to crying over his idiot brother. Both brothers frowned over the dullness that was the green of her eyes. Crying had turned her hillside-green eyes into plain and almost lifeless eyes. She was still lovely, but it was like an ice sculpture of a swan with the beak broken off: beautiful, but missing something. The man who wasn't used to the beauty saw it all. She was a gorgeous creature, if not a tired looking one. He wondered what had caused her need for orthopedic aide.

Connor gave her a weak smile. "Can we come en?"

Kareen stared at the three of them for a few moments before hopping aside. She stared at the floor as they watched them walk in. There were two questions on her mind: who was the old guy and why were they covered in blood? However, she just stood off to the side as the three of them sat down on the couch with relieved sighs. Murphy had only sat down after dumping the unconscious form of the person into the armchair. Looking the person over she was certain it was a man in woman's clothing. Upon closer inspection she realized it was the FBI agent from before! Why was Agent Smecker in drag?

The bearded man looked at the woman. He gave her a small smile through the whiskers on his face. "Sorry ta wake ye, miss."

Suddenly every good-hostess rule she had learned by reading clicked in. Kareen straightened up a bit, gave a weak smile, and said, "Et's nothin'. Would any of yah like a drink? Boys, ye know where de bathroom es ef ye'd like ta clean up." Her voice was small and shy, like she didn't want to talk at all. "Ye cin put…him…en de spare room."

Murphy jumped up and headed for the bathroom. "I got dibs on first shower!"

Connor rolled his eyes and got up. He took Smecker to the spare bedroom in the apartment and—none too nicely—tossed him on the bed before walking back out to the living room.

On a normal day or night Kareen would have smiled or laughed at Murphy, but tonight was far from normal apparently. Turning her attention to the old man, she introduced herself. "I'm Kareen McGinty. De owner of de pub downstairs lives 'ere; I'm 'is grandniece. May I ask who y'are?" She hop-skipped over to the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker and prepare some tea.

The bearded man stood and called out to the woman. "My name's Noah MacManus. I'm Connor an' Murphy's da."

Kareen stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "Dey said dey never knew yah."

"Dere was some difficulties when dey were just babes. Et was all my fault." He removed his coat and hung it on a hook. "Do ye need help, dear?"

She shook her head at his offer and waited for the coffee to brew so she could pour a few mugs for the men. Her ears picked up the sound of a shower starting up a few rooms over. More questions began to build in her mind. Why were they covered in blood? Was it their blood? Why was Murphy's hand three sizes bigger than usual and purple? Where had their father come from? Why had he shown up suddenly out of nowhere? What were the difficulties he spoke of? What was going on? Why had they come to her place? Who was the drag queen? Why was the drag queen unconscious? What had happened that night? When the coffee maker finally finished she poured two mugs of coffee. She brought one mug out to Connor with difficulty before turning and asking what Noah would prefer to drink.

The old man gave her a small smile. "I'll take some coffee, dear."

Connor watched as she returned to the kitchen and came out with a second mug of the steaming dark liquid. He was amazed at their composure. His father seemed to be viewing the world with a smile on his face while Kareen was going about her believed duties as a hostess with the composure she always tried to maintain. How could they keep such a demeanor? He was dying to get a chance to talk about everything that was happening. The rapid tapping of his heel seemed to be evidence of his impatience at the moment.

The only sound that filled the room was the dulled sound of a shower from down the hall. It was a dense silence that someone could cut with a knife and dip in their coffee if they wanted a bite to eat. The silence fell thickly upon the room like a heavy winter snow that no shovel could dig through. The two men just sat on the couch while Kareen busied herself with other things. First, she rummaged through her uncle's drawers to hopefully find something the men could wear. She came up with some flannel pajama pants and a few oversized shirts. With a frown she realized her uncle was short in comparison to the three. Noah was even taller than the boys! She hoped what little she found would work. She dropped a shirt and a pair of pants on the bathroom sink just as Murphy turned off the shower. Just missing getting flashed by the man, she ducked out of the bathroom and walk-hopped back to the living room. She handed a set of clothes to each of the men with an apologetic smile. "Et's all we got. Uncle Ian es a wee man, so et may not fit yah. Especially you, Noah, ye're even taller den de boys."

Noah took the clothes and just gave her a smile. "Don't worry, dear. Now, may I ask where en Ireland are ye from?"

Connor was completely taken aback at Kareen's response to the man. It was like there was nothing wrong! It was like they were sitting on some terrace drinking tea together and just talking!

She sat down with a small smile, thankful for an opportunity not to be up and walking about. "I'm from Bellaghy, a little bitty town en Derry. My family's got a little pub right at a major crossroads." Kareen didn't know the man and she had always shied from people she didn't know, but she liked this Noah fellow. He seemed to know the very topic she needed to talk about. "Et's a nice little place. Great little town with great people. Ye know, et wasn't even a year ago I—"

Murphy walked out into the living room dressed in the blue and red flannel pants and t-shirt. "Kareen, ye're a goddess! A hot shower an' clean clothes. Ye're a goddess!" He bent and gave her a peck on the cheek. With a happy sigh he plopped back down on the couch beside his brother.

Connor nodded to his father. "Ye cin go on…Da. I, uh, wanna talk ta Kareen."

The old man smiled and gave Kareen's knee a pat. "Ye cin tell me more about Bellaghy en da mornin', dear. Ye know, I never have been ta Derry." He stood and walked off to the bathroom.

Kareen turned and watched him go while calling out, "Towels are en de little cupboard 'neath de sink!" When she turned back she instantly stood and hobbled to the kitchen to get away from the burning gaze of Connor. It was awkward for her to be around him. Noah had been a reprieve and a good excuse not to look at him. In the kitchen she poured Murphy a mug of coffee and brought it out to him. She returned to the kitchen. Connor may have wanted to talk, but she wasn't quite ready. If she could have had her way, Kareen wouldn't have spoken to Connor about anything for weeks. Turning the on the taps for the sink she soaked a rag with warm water. After wringing it out so it was only damp she walked back into the living room and offered the cloth to Connor. If he was going to talk to her she at least wanted to look at a face that wasn't coated in blood.

He accepted the rag with a weak smile and stood. "Cin we, uh, go en yer room er somethin'?"

Kareen only gave a little swallow of anxiety and nodded. She lead the way back to her bedroom where she sat down on the bed and watched as he rubbed his face clean of the majority of the blood that was there. When he turned to look at her she stared down at the hands in her lap to investigate a rather interesting portion of her left arm's cast.

Connor looked her over. It saddened him to see her this way. It was almost like she had turned back into the Kareen he first met. There was no happy smile or bell-tinkling laugh. There was no fire in her eyes. There was nothing but a sad, shy woman who had had the worst hand of poker dealt to her. He decided it would be best just to tell her the truth…or some of it… "Murph, Roc, an' I got ento a bit o' trouble. Roc…Roc didn't make et. Son of a bitch shot 'im." He watched as her uninjured hand clenched at the news. He sighed. "We just need a place ta stay fer a day er two, den we'll be outta yer hair," he swallowed, not wanting to say the next two words. He had to though, he just had to! "Fer good."

She looked up at him slowly. "Ye're leavin'?"

"We hafta."

"Where?"

"Dunno." _Lie number one._

She stared at her hands again. "Whah…Whah kinda trouble? Who with?"

Connor was glad they had removed all of their weapons and such and stowed them in their bags. "We were just walkin' home an' some mob guys jumped us 'cause o' Roc. Dey're pissed at 'im fer some reason." _Yes, Connor, lie some more why don't you…_He leaned back against her dresser, watching her closely.

Kareen looked back up at him. She could see bruises forming about his face. In her mind she couldn't believe Connor and Murphy would lose a fight. They had always come out on top. What was different? Were there too many of them or something? She looked back at her hands. "Will y'ever come back?"

_Does she want me to ever come back? _"Probably not."

Then Kareen said something that was like a knife to his heart. She buried the blade deep and twisted it from side to side to really inflict agony. "Good." She fiddled with the sash for her robe. "Et's…Et's better dat way." She bit her lip slightly and swallowed hard. "Donna worry 'bout Smecker. I'll take care of 'im."

_Well…That's…Fuck._ He hung his head in defeat. He knew there was no way of fixing what was broken. In his mind he pictured their relationship as a priceless, one-of-a-kind crystal vase that had just suddenly been dropped off the Prudential building. There was no way he could find every single piece and he wasn't skilled enough to put it back together again. They were done, finished, broken to pieces. Nothing was going to fix it. He nodded. "Alright." Pushing off of the dresser he went for the door. Before turning the knob, he looked over his shoulder at her. "Ef y'ever need ta get away from de pub er somethin' ye're welcome to go to our place. Murph an' I thought et best ta hold onta de lease an' whatnot just en case." He waited a moment to see if she would say anything. The only response he got was her lying down with her back to him. With another sigh of defeat, Connor walked out of the bedroom.

In the living room he found Murphy cradling his hand between sips of coffee. The blue-eyed brother glared at Connor. "Et fuckin' hurts…"

Connor rolled his eyes and plopped down in the armchair. "Kareen said she'll look after Smecker when 'e comes to."

The sound of pouring water ceased. Soon Noah walked out of the bathroom dressed in pajamas that looked a might bit too small for him, but not obnoxiously so. He sat back down on the sofa and turned to Connor. "She's a sweet lass. Whah happened? Ye say she's yer ex."

Connor frowned. "Et…Et's complicated…"

Murphy leaned forward. "Yeah, yah just told me an' Roc dat she cut yah off. Why da hell's she all bandaged up?"

He couldn't take the stare down the two men were giving him. Connor put his face in his hands and heaved a sigh. "Alright…Fine…When I came over ta talk ta her, she wanted me ta fuck off at first. However, I convinced her ta hear me out…even thought I told 'er nothin'. I didn't make up some story like yah told me to, Murph. I just told 'er I couldn't day where I'd been." He needed to stop for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "We got ento an argument 'cause she said ef I couldn't say den she'd think de worst. She pretty much called me a coward. She'd told me all thes stuff 'bout her an' 'er fears an' shet, but I couldn't tell her one little thing. She gave me back da bracelet I gave 'er fer her birthday. She grabbed her coat an' headed out. I was sittin' on 'er bed when I heard the thumpin'." _Why are they making me talk about this! _"When I got up ta see whah happened…Kareen had fallen down the stairs. She musta missed a step er somethin'…"

Murphy grimaced at the thought of it all. He could almost see the scene before his eyes. Shaking his head, he patted his brother's back. "I'm sorry, man."

Noah frowned in disappointment. "I'll tell yah one thing, no man en thes family cin handle women. Yer ma ever tell yah she shot at me once when we argued? We sure know how ta piss 'em off."

Connor allowed himself the smallest of chuckles. Sadness came back to him though when he realized the story wasn't done. "Doc called de ambulance an' dey took Kareen ta da hospital." He buried his face in his hands again if only to hide the tiny tears beginning to blossom in his eyes. He didn't want to cry about it. He felt he didn't have the right to cry about it. "Fuck…Doctors said she had a miscarriage."

Noah was unsure how to take the news. He could tell this was a bad thing…but how bad exactly?

Murphy's eyes looked like saucers. "Shit man…Did yah guys know?"

"No…She found out when de doc told 'er," Connor said with a frown.

Noah looked at his son. He could tell this was the most broken Connor had ever been just by the look in his eyes. He stretched out a hand and put it on his son's back. "Son…" He had to admit the word was unnatural on his tongue but still felt right. "Dere's only one thing I cin ask ye: Had she known an' told yah, would yah have stuck 'round an' played yer part?"

Connor thought about it for a moment. He didn't just love Kareen, he was _in love _with her. Even if she was pissed at him and didn't want him around he still loved her. He pictured it never happening, the Saint thing. He thought about what it would be like when Kareen would have finally figured it all out that she was pregnant. He knew just what she would do. She would sit him down and be flighty and fidgety before finally telling him in a shy, please-understand sort of way. She would worry about how he'd response until he finally did. How would he response? Connor imagined what it would be like being a dad. Would he like it? He had never really pictured himself with the white picket-fence life…but…He turned to his father. "I love 'er. I'd stay an' not just 'cause et's de right thing."

What the three men didn't know was that two rooms over Kareen could hear everything they were talking about and it brought fresh tears to her tired, aching eyes. She couldn't decide what feeling was worse. On one hand she cried over being reminded about the lost baby and one the other hand she cried over the fact that Connor would have stayed. He would have stayed and not just because it was the right thing! Now she cried even harder because a name crossed her mind. It wasn't the name of a baby, no; it was the name of an adult. The name was Kareen Ryanne _MacManus_. Just the thought of the possibility that the name could have one day been hers killed her inside. How could Life be so cruel to her? It had now denied her two things she wanted. Life had taken away the baby and her chance to possibly marry (if he ever asked, of course) the man she loved. _Life is a cruel, heartless bitch! _She thought as she continued to cry.

In the living room the three men suddenly fell silent. They thought they heard something. When they kept silent they all felt a hand squeezing their heart with a cold grip. Noah, Connor, and Murphy could all hear the quiet crying of the young woman.

**A/N Raise your hand if you feel like crying now –raises hand-**

**Okay, I promise the depression won't last forever, but I don't want to drop the sadness too early, yah know? That would do me no good!**


	32. Merry Way

**A/N I feel a reprieve to the sadness is necessary. It shall come…possibly…soon…maybe…**

**I won't apologize for my lack of political correctness in referring to Smecker. Get over it.**

**Chapter Thirty-Two: **_**Merry **_**Way**

Kareen woke up and her room was filled with light from her window. Just by the sheer amount of light alone she guessed it was almost noon. With a groan that turned into a yawn she got out of bed. Picking her crutch up off the floor she hobbled out of her room and into the guest room to check on Smecker. He wasn't there! Frantically hopping she went to the living room where she found the man sitting on her couch no longer with the faux breasts, wig, stockings, and makeup. Now he was just a man wearing a skirt and rather nice blouse. He had even ditched the pink scarf around his neck.

Smecker looked up at her as she walked in. "They said to tell you they left around eight in the morning. Connor didn't want to wake you. I was told to stay put, which I agree would be best." He took in her casts and raised a brow. "What happened to you? The last time I saw you was only about a week ago and you were perfectly fine."

She sat down on the couch beside him. "I fell down the stairs. Doctor said I should have broken my neck. I guess I'm just lucky…"

He nodded. "Right. I don't suppose you have something I could wear, do you?"

She thought for a moment before responding. "I suppose Uncle Ian may have somethin'. I'll go look." With a frown she hobbled off to the old man's bedroom. There she found three sets of pajamas neatly folded on the foot of the bed. _At least they folded them…Or perhaps Smecker did that. I wonder if he'll let me call him by his first name. What was it again? Phil? No…Paul! That's it, it's Paul! _She busied her mind with thinking of things that didn't matter so she wouldn't focus on the things that did. After more rummaging she found some more pajama-like clothing that she was certain would fit the man. She continued to busy her mind with nonsensical things that included singing the childish songs of her youth just to keep from thinking of _him_.

Agent Smecker took the clothes and went to change out of his drag and into something he would be more willing to walk the streets in. He noticed she seemed…distant. It was like she had disconnected herself with the rest of the world and had curled into her own little mind. He wondered why. That wasn't all he was curious about. How did a woman, a bartender with (he assumed) no sporty hobbies end up with casts and a few bruises? Car accident? Fall? What did it? When he finished changing he walked out into the living room. Usually a man who had it all figured out, Smecker didn't know what to do. If this had been any other person he would have sworn them to secrecy about the drag and skipped out before anything else could be said but…He shook his head. There was something about the young woman who looked so distant and sad, something he wanted to know…Mentally, the agent blamed his inner Flamer for the touchy-feely bullshit…Now he looked at the woman sitting in the armchair and staring at the floor. The Kareen McGinty he met had screamed and stormed about the behavior of her boyfriend. The Kareen McGinty he met did not seem the kind to become moody like the woman in the armchair. Unable to beat back his flamboyant and emotional side any longer with a stick any longer, he sat down on the couch and asked, "What's the matter?"

Kareen's head popped up and she stared at him with a blank face. She gazed at him, not wanting to say a word and praying her eyes were telling her story. Could eyes really relay the pain and disappointment? Could her eyes really show him everything she was feeling? She hoped they could.

Smecker looked into the sad emerald eyes. He could tell she was sad, but there was something more. She was sad because she had been hurt, but not the normal kind of hurt. It was a deeper, more aching hurt that made him want to ache with her. Why? He furrowed his brow. "What's wrong?" Now he was genuinely concerned.

She gave a small sigh. "Et's complicated…" _Or is it? Is it really complicated or do you just want to give an excuse?_ Kareen's mind would not let her get off that easy.

And the cockiness returned! "Honey, I'm an FBI agent charged with figuring shit out, I'm sure I can unravel your problem with no issue." He was proud of himself when he saw a ghost of a smile twitch over her rosy lips for just a moment.

Kareen leaned back against the couch and looked over to the man. There was something in his brash and cocky ways that made her trust him. "Alright den, we'll start from de beginnin'." Slowly, but surely she began to tell her short tale. She started with how she had originally started to get pissed about Ellen, and then her grandmother got her, then the incidents at the pub and what that lead to. She lamented over the missed date and how she had really, really hoped it would have been the sugar in her coffee, a way to sweeten some of the bitterness. And suddenly as if she was a blonde fifteen year old girl in California (pardon the stereotype!) it all unfurled. "I mean, how could 'e do dat! Just goes an' es all perfect an' shet den suddenly _WHAM! _'e's an asshole!" With Dory, Ally, or Jan she had be more of a stone-hearted bitch, but this was the first time she had a chance to talk about it to someone who probably wouldn't be biased about the situation in any way. "Ye'd think after," she stopped to count on her fingers, "what? Nine months? _And_ 'I love you' he wouldna do shet like thes!" She wiped furious at the tears on her cheek before looking back to Smecker. "Do ye think I made de right choice, breakin' up wit' him?"

Someone call Animal Control (or whoever cleans up the mess) because Kareen had caught a deer in her headlights and plowed right over the poor dear. Smecker tried to think about it in a logical way. He equated the situation with a crime scene and its related court cases. The crime had been committed and the death sentence (the breakup) had been dished. Now it was the whole Jury's Guilt issue of _"Should I have condemned a man?"_ Well, should she have condemned the man? Smecker shrugged and gave a noncommittal, "Eh." He followed it with a nod. "If I were you, I'd have done the same thing."

"I thought so! I'm not happy 'bout et…but et had ta be done."

"What do yah mean you aren't happy about it?"

Kareen heaved a little sigh and tucked a loose strand behind an ear. With a shaking voice she explained about the fall and the Incident (as she deemed it, not wanting to give it its proper name). She wiped a small tear away and curled up as best as she could with her still aching ribs and casts. "Right now…I really just wanna set wit' 'im an' cry…but I cinna let mahself do thah…an' I donna know ef he's as upset 'bout thes as I am. I donna know whah ta do…"

He let out a breath. Women—even for gay men—have always been and will always be difficult creatures. It's just how they are. If Smecker had his thinking straight this was her problem: Kareen had her heartbroken and that lead to an additional heartbreak due to the miscarriage which lead to a triple whammy because she couldn't grieve over the second heartbreak because she of the first heartbreak. Could life be any more dismal for the poor woman? It seemed highly unlikely. Smecker gave her an encouraging smile. "Hey, they say shit can get worse, right? Yah know, once yah hit an all-time low there's nowhere to go but up, yeah? So here's what I say: cry your heart out, scream into every friggin' pillow and let yourself be a little blue for a while. It's all you can do! However! If he ever comes and wants to talk, you bite your tongue and just let him say what he has to say. Alright?"

Kareen listened to Smecker as if it was the Voice of God Himself. What logic! What perfect logic! Why hadn't she thought of being so civil and kind? Well, naturally, it was the bitchiness followed by the drunken bitchiness followed by the pissy, ignored bitchiness and last—but not least—the heartbroken bitchiness. Kareen was actually taken aback at how unpleasant she had been. It was a real shocker. She gave a little nod in agreement. "Ye're right, y'are. Ef 'e ever comes back—which I doubt—I'll be nice an' listen ef 'e's got somethin' ta say."

Smecker smiled, glad that he had been able to talk sense into a woman who had spent the majority of the last three weeks either crying or wanting to kill someone. It was a bit of an ego-boost. _That's a good fifteen points for me! _Cocky Smecker…

She stood with the assistance of her not-so-beloved crutch. "Well, I'm gunna go get dressed." As she hobbled toward the short hall she stopped and turned back and gave Smecker the first real, genuine smile she had smiled in probably weeks. "Thank ye."

He gave a nod and watched as she continued her awkward path to her bedroom to get dressed. _Yah know, she's actually a real sweetheart, you can tell. It's too bad all this shit happened. I bet she's the kind who would love to have a baby and be a mom. She seems the kind…_When Kareen came back out he was pulled from his thoughts. She was dressed in a long flowing skirt (obviously because jeans wouldn't go over the cast) and a tank top (obviously because it was just easier to get on). Her long chocolate hair was pulled into a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck with a few strands hanging in her face.

She gave him a weak smile. "Would yah like some breakfast? I cin fix breakfast ef yah want. I know I'm a little hongry." It didn't matter what he answered, Kareen was going to make something to eat.

"I could eat." Smecker said with a little grin. He stayed where he sat and let her do her thing. If there was one thing Smecker knew about women it was to _never_ intrude on them if they were cooking. Now, if she were to ask for help he would happily give aide, but until then he was going to keep his distance. Soon enough he could smell what he was certain was pancakes and eggs. How she managed to whip the breakfast up (literally in the case of the pancakes) with only one good hand and leaning on a crutch baffled him. Smecker, for all his investigative perfection, couldn't pour a glass of water without spilling some. Not long after the smell of breakfast permeated the apartment did he hear the clanking of dishes. He was contemplating offering his assistance thinking it would only be kind to a woman who had had such hardship in such a short time. It was just as he stood to make his offer that he heard her.

"Breakfast es ready. Why don' ye come an' set, get a bite, then ye cin go on yer…_merry_…way."

Smecker locked onto her eyes. The very eyes that had seemed to sad and searching not even an hour earlier now had embers of a potential fire behind them. He sat down slowly without removing his gaze from the deep green orbs. "What are you insinuating?"

Kareen sat down opposite him and raised a brow. "Dere es no ensinuation, Paul. My—what do de girls call it? Ah! Yes, my _gay_-dar es goin' off right now. No man I know willin'ly dresses en drag, let alone pulls et off like yah did."

He stared at her over the rim of his glass. Oh, he did loathe those times when it was obvious to the public. He had kept his secret a sacred treasure since he was in college. Approximately twenty-five years of secrecy for fear of the judgment and the prejudice against gays in the police/military. He gave a little chuckle and took a long drink of the sweet, yet slightly tart juice she had provided. "I trust my secret is safe with you?"

"Course et es." She beamed a happy smile at him. "I wouldna dare tell a soul. Wouldna want de feds after me fer some outlandish reason, yeah?"

Smecker snorted. "Point taken. What about your uncle? Murphy said he lives here."

Kareen gave a little shrug as she nibbled on a piece of toast. "Uncle Ian does not wake until noon most mornin's whah wit' de pub an' all." She stared at him over the table. He had answers Connor refused to give. She fixed him with a hearty stare. "Do ye know where dey went?" Even if she knew it was for the best she still wanted to know where _he_ was. She needed it…just in case…

Smecker looked at her. The embers of potential had shifted to flames. Flames of a burning need. _I wonder if she can read people? If not…this will work. _"No."

"Tell me one thing, please. Did Connor lie ta me when 'e said 'e, Murphy, an' Roc were attacked by some mob guys?"

_The first lie is justifiable. I won't lie this time. _"Yes."

The flames of need turn to a burning ache. She frowned deeply. "How are you entwined wit' dem?"

He pursed his lips slightly as he tried to conjure a believable story. There was nothing. Nothing in his mind could figure a story believable enough to convince what he was certain was a rather smart woman. The truth was all he could tell. "Connor and Murphy need me to cover their tracks. They're leaving because they're in trouble. I won't tell you what trouble or why and you can't get it out of me." He punctuated his remark with a ravenous bite of pancake.

Kareen stared at him. If she wanted she could black-mail him with the power of his secret…but she would never do such a thing. She simply bowed her head and understood there was nothing else she would get to know. "Very well." She gave him a smile. "I believe thes cin be a very…interesting…relationship, Paul, don't ye think?"

Smecker smirked at her through half a mouthful of eggs. Such vivacity while enduring such pain. He was certain if he was fifteen years younger and straight this was a woman he would have tried to see on a far more personal level. Instead, he was nearly twice her age and gay. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. After swallowing, he raised his glass. "Miss McGinty, I believe I must agree." He clinked his glass with hers and they shared a smile.

With a gleam in her eye Kareen could not resist. "Yah know, I've been meanin' ta get some new sundresses. Would yah mind goin' with an' givin' yer input. Yah do seem ta have a wonderful sense o' fashion as I noticed from yer skirt, blouse, and rather flashy scarf."

Wielding a rather dangerous looking spoon, Smecker rapped her on the knuckles. "Do be getting smart with me, Missy."

Shaking the pain off, she just grinned. It was good to smile. There was still an aching burn beneath her skin, but the smiling made it better. Paul Smecker made it better. Kareen believed their meeting was fate. She believed that God had put the sexually "backwards" man in her path for a good reason. God did not want her to be sad for He had seen far too many of His daughters weep over lost young. He had bigger plans for Kareen, she believed, and He knew she would weep but He did not want her to mourn for too long. He needed her to do something…Kareen was unsure of what that something was, but she new there was something He wanted her to do. But what?

**A/N Alright, a slight touch of comic relief with a religious twist thrown in for good measure. Yay or nay?**

**Also, I apologize for the wait. I've been busy with work and school and just haven't been able to find the time to just sit and write. Luckily, I baby sat while watching a 3 year old who went to bed early. I just had to wait for his mum to get home. While he slept I made sure all was well while typing away. Yay for some quite time!**


	33. Wow, Abusive Much?

**A/N Alright so I had some time in my government class today so I got crackin' on the beginning of this chapter.**

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Wow…Abusive Much?**

After the time she spent with Smecker days seemed to melt away for Kareen. She was still depressed, yes, but not to obviously so. Life without the MacManus brothers had become a boring one. Doc refused to let her work until her ankle was out of the cast so there was little for her to do. She found solace in her books once again. As the days passed Kareen seemed to blend further into her old self. Her nose was stuck in a book most of the day and when Doc came in from a night of working he often found her in the overstuffed armchair in her bedroom having nodded off during a chapter. Though not related heavily to the reversion back into the world of her period novels Kareen had begun to wear her long skirts again. She had to as none of her jeans would go on over the cast. If she had it her way she would stick to the comfort of the denim, yet she found the skirts to be comforting. The long peasant skirts took her back to a time she had dubbed as BC—Before Connor. It made her think as though he had never been a part of her everyday life and that she had just come across the Atlantic to spend however ever long she decided with her beloved granduncle. Kareen soon found that putting herself back into her old life of novels and peasant skirts and demure behavior helped her forget everything that ever happened. Now there was no miscarriage, there was no heartbreak, and there was no _Connor MacManus_. The casts? Why, those casts were the result of a clumsy slip down the stairs and nothing more! Why she hadn't concentrated an inkling more on the stairs wasn't important or other results of the fall didn't exist! All she had done was slip down the stairs and wind up in casts. _Nothing_ more, _nothing_ less.

Doc had worried at first about Kareen and her behavior but found it was something he couldn't control any more than he could control the wind and the rain that pattered occasionally outside. His worry had seeped away when he realized that her reversion was her way of coping and so long as she was coping he didn't care what happened. He just hoped that she wouldn't snap at some point. There was no doubt in his mind that he was waiting nearly every day for one person to say something that made Kareen crack. It had yet to happen, though. Someone might ask where Connor had gone or what had happened between them, but she was silent. She just shrugged at their questions and brushed them off without a care. It seemed almost unnatural…

Nearly three months had passed without sight or sound of the MacManus brothers and their father. There had been whispers in huddled corners that Connor and Murphy had been victims of the Saints of South Boston. What could such two great guys do? Or was the Good Boy act just a cover? Did they deal in with the mob? Did they peddle drugs? Into prostitution? Pimps? What could it be! No one ever knew though because nothing was on the news about two men who had gone missing or were found dead. It was almost like they had never existed. About a month and a half after they went _poof! _the rumors began to cease. The MacManus brothers and their whereabouts had become old news. What hadn't become old news were the Saints. Were they still around? Were they lulling their victims into a false sense of security before swooping in for the kill? Where they biding their time and waiting for the perfect chance to strike? So many possibilities and all seemed so perfectly plausible.

Kareen was sick of it all. She had voiced her opinion once and once only about the Saints. Yes, she had said they were do-gooders and they had their right to do what they felt was right. Yes, she agreed completely and even had a person or two she would like to write a fan-letter about in hopes of seeing their names in the papers with the headline of _Found Dead: So-and-so. _Who wouldn't? However, she wouldn't say anything to anyone who asked her about it. Kareen had never been a gabbing sort of gal and she wouldn't start now. The Saints weren't the only ones she was tired of hearing about. Though the gossip had died down, people still mentioned Connor and Murphy on the off occasion. They were making it all the more difficult on her to forget…

At the moment Kareen was in the pub sweeping the floors. It was one of the few tasks Doc allowed her to do once she was downgraded from a forearm cast (which she got a month after the injury) to a mere brace and the doctor gave her a special boot to wear over the foot of the cast on her leg so she could at least limp around on it. As she swept the floors there was a smile on her face. She was thinking about what she would be doing in about an hour. At her last visit to the orthopedic wing of the hospital the doctor had determined her ankle and lower tibia were as healed as needed and she would simply downgrade from the cast to a supportive brace for a week or two. In fact, she was only waiting for Doc to get downstairs do they could leave. She was only sweeping out of boredom and the need to do _something_ to keep herself occupied. So, limping around on her heavy foot, Kareen swept the already clean floor of McGinty's.

And suddenly, as if it was the singing of angels above, the sound of jingling keys assailed her ears soon followed by the sound of Doc's voice. "Are ye r-r-ready, Kareen?" The old man got to the bottom of the stairs. He couldn't help but chuckle at the rapid _step-thunk-step-thunk _sound of Kareen's approach.

"Aye! Now le's go! I wanna get thes feckin' thing off me leg!" She slung a purse over her shoulder and limped out the door. If Kareen had had it her way she would have been free of the cast two weeks before. She didn't see all the fuss of the "making certain" phase (as her doctor called it). Why couldn't he just saw the damn thing off when he noticed it was healed, huh? But no! He wanted to be absolutely certain it was all healed without even the slightest hint of a fracture remaining. She thought it was all bullshit, but like the good girl she was she kept her pretty mouth shut.

Doc shook his head and chuckled as they both walked out to where he kept his old car parked. He never drove much and often preferred to walk anywhere. The doctors even advised him not to drive what with his Tourette's. They said he could lose focus at any moment during an outburst and cause an accident. Luckily, that had not happened…yet?

When they were out on the road Doc had the urge to give Kareen a whack with his cane. For days she had been talking about finally getting the cast off and being able to work again and maybe getting to go out with the girls and taking a shower without having her leg wrapped in a garbage bag and _blah blah BLAH! _If she was sick of hearing rumors about the boys and the Saints, he was sick of hearing her talk! She had never been a talkative one, but it sure seemed to come out of her when she was extremely excited about something as trivial as regaining a little bit of chained freedom. Of course, that's all she was talking about now.

"Oh! Per'aps de girls an' I could het de mall thes weekend. I've been dying ta wear somethin' other than flats an' I've had my eye on a pair o' heels dat are _real_ pretty. Hell, I'd even wear 'em ta work ef dey're comfortable enough!"

Behind the wheel Doc was twitching and not because of his medical issue.

They couldn't have arrived at the hospital soon enough. Kareen almost flew out of the car and—with the assistance of her crutches and the boot—she sped through the parking lot to the doors. There was nothing in the world she wanted than have the goddamn cast off her foot! With a huge smile on her face, Kareen hobbled up to the front desk. "I'm here fer m'appointment."

The nurse who had recognized the hyperactive brunette grinned. "Alright, Ms. McGinty, just take a seat and the doctor will be out in a moment to assist you."

Kareen nodded and hobbled over to her favorite seat in the waiting room. She was tapping her good foot at a pace that would match (if not surpass) a hummingbird's heartbeat. She was watching the second hand on the clock tick at an agonizingly pace. It felt to her like the second hand had become the minute hand and the minute hand was the hour hand and the hour hand was now useless decoration. Why could time not pass! She was drumming a beat on her knee with her fingers while she watched down the hall. Her heart broke little by little when a doctor would come in and call for someone that wasn't her. The wait was killing her. To occupy her mind she started to think about her first visit after the Incident. It was her first check-up to make sure the casts were doing their jobs. She remembered the pain she felt and the cold hand that squeezed her heart to the point she almost collapsed. Hospitals had never been a favorite place for her to be. She rarely got sick and the sterile smell bothered her. That and she had a slight case of iatrophobia. Kareen was terrified of hospitals and doctors. Luckily, she had been able to overcome her fear due to the excitement she had coursing through her body that day.

"Kareen."

Her green eyes shot upwards to lock onto the nurse. He was a short man with an obviously shaved head and a small loop earring in his left ear. She couldn't help but think he looked an awful lot like the man on her favored brand of cleaning supplies. It brought a slight giggle to her lips as she stood from her chair and hobbled over the man. After turning a smile to her uncle, she followed the nurse like a duckling follows its mother. She was filled to the brim with excitement. Not even the horrifying sight of the little saw the doctors use to cut off the cast could bother her mood.

The Mr. Clean nurse nodded to the second table-like bed in a row of five. The room was long and had many beds along with many shelves of different medical supplies. He began setting up everything the doctor would need in order to properly remove Kareen's cast.

Kicking her feet back and forth, Kareen waited impatiently for the nurse to finish out his job. How long did it take! Time was ticking by slowly. She wished she had super powers to speed up time. How grand that would be! She would never have to wait for snail-like doctors to slowly squirm their way to waiting patients. What joy! She would never have to wait in traffic or in line. Waiting would be a thing of the past for all who knew Kareen, The Time Ticker!

…

Kareen smacked herself on the forehead over the fact that she had been putting serious thought into the super power. What a childish endeavor…Not to mention she couldn't believe how ridiculous her name would be. The Time Ticker? Really?

The doctor and a couple nurses finally made their appearance. "Good afternoon, Kareen. How are we today?"

"I'd be better ef ye got thes feckin' thing off me foot! C'mon doc! I'm dying here!" She whined as he slowly (well, slowly to Kareen) went about his business of getting ready to remove her cast.

He chuckled. "Don't worry, that cast will be off in a few minutes and you'll be out of here good as new!" He put on his gloves and picked up the saw.

One of the nurses—her Mr. Clean guy—gave her a smile. "Anxious to get it off?"

Kareen grinned and repositioned on the bed/table so her ankle was in the optimal position for the doctor. "Ye have no idea! I work en a pub an' me uncle—me boss—willna let me work 'til I get et off. I can finally do my job and enjoy et too!"

All was well…at first. Kareen was happy and smiling and determined not to let anything bother her. Then it started. The doctor started up the saw! Kareen suddenly reverted into her usually iatrophobic self. She squeezed her eyes shut and looked away. Her body tensed and one of the nurses had to hold her because she started to squirm and cause issues. In her mind she was screaming about how much she hated doctors and their evil torture tools. Iatrophobia at its best.

What is that? What is that really cool, breezy feeling? Could it be…

Just peeking open one eye, Kareen looked down at her ankle. There was no cast!

The doctor chuckled. "All done, Kareen."

She gazed at her ankle with a happy smile on her face. For months she hadn't seen any more than the tips of her toes. With a happy squeal she leapt off the table/bed and hugged the doctor. "Thank ye so much, doc!"

He laughed and gave her shoulder a doctor-appropriate pat. "No problem, Miss. I hope I don't have to see you again. From now on you'll be more careful about stairs."

She nodded. Honestly, Kareen had no idea how she fell. She didn't know if she missed a step or her foot barely caught the edge of a step. She had no clue what caused her fall. On the track of honesty, she really didn't remember the fall anyway. She didn't want to remember…

Shaking her head of the thoughts she had been thinking, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and took a tentative step down onto both feet. For the first time in months Kareen didn't need a brace or crutch to stand upright. The feelings that coursed through her body were inexplicable pleasure and pride. To stand on her own two feet again completely unaided for the first time in what felt like (to her) years was the most fantastic feeling she would know for the time being.

"Now, Kareen, be careful the next few days. We want to be certain that you're bones have completely healed and if you rush into any activities there could be complications. If you feel any pain over the next two days in your ankle or foot, please call right away. We don't want you to be back in a cast, now do we?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "No sir, I donna want thah. I've been en dat prison long enough. I'm sick of et!"

He gave a pert little nod. "Good. You're free to go once you check in with the front desk and fill out a fi—" His sentence was cut off by the quickly retreating Kareen. He shook his head with a little smirk to one of the nurses beside him. "She's as bad as a child! You would think after a few months of constantly visiting a hospital her fear would've died down."

Kareen sped down the hall back to the front desk. She must have been a strange sight with one sandaled foot and one bare foot, but she didn't care. She was free of the wretched cast! Free forever if she had it her way. She beamed a happy smile at the nurse. "Whah do I have ta fill out?"

The lady behind the desk handed her a form that had all of three blanks for patients to write on. "Just this. Your name and signature, final appointment date, and the time of its completion is all we need. It's just a little formality we like to keep on hand."

Formalities meant nothing to Kareen. She just wanted to get out of the hospital and get back to her normal day-to-day life of reading and bartending. She quickly filled out the form and signed in her looping, fancy signature. Turning over the paper she grinned at the nurse. "Let's hope ye never see me agin!"

The nurse just laughed quietly to herself as she watched the young woman turn to her uncle who had been waiting patiently for his niece to finish with her appointment.

"C'mon, Uncle Ian, let's go home."

Doc nodded in agreement before taking to his feet. He handed Kareen's bag—which he had been watching—to her. He was just as anxious to get home as she was now, but for a different reason. All the while he was sitting in the waiting room he had a few outbursts of his (not so) favorite words. Doc had long since come to terms with his condition and didn't care what people think…he just hated the staring. When people stared at him like his face had gone green it bothered him. Yes, he had a mental disorder. So what? Get over it people!

In the car, Kareen pulled on the extra sandal she had brought with. "Oh, Uncle Ian, et feels so good ta move me ankle 'round an' walk about! I hope I never get hurt like thah agin!"

He just shook his head and chuckled at her. There were only a handful of times he had ever seen Kareen so high spirited and happy. He frowned suddenly. Without even realizing what he was doing, Doc had begun to think of those times. He had hardly known her as a child, but he remembered birthdays with a little smile on her face. As an adult he had gotten to know her well since she had been living with him for a little over a year. All of her joyous moments included two fellow Irishmen that had gone missing. Doc missed the boys. He was certain Kareen missed the, too, just she wasn't willing to tell herself that. Or…she was willing to say she missed Murphy, but she couldn't admit it to herself that she missed Connor as well. What a sad thing…

Back at the pub Kareen leapt out of the car and gave her uncle a huge grin. "I'm gunna get de pub set ta open. Ye go on upstairs an' leave et all ta me. I'll open up an' ye cin just relax fer de night."

Doc raised a brow. Kareen always _helped _open, but she never opened alone before. He knew she could do it, but she must have been in such an exceptional mood that she was willing to do anything. Getting out of the car, he gave a nod and a smile. "Al-Alright, Kareen, ye go on an' d-d-do dat."

She beamed a smile before going into the pub and picking her broom back up. The floors needed to be finished, but that was all. After that she simply had to change the _closed _sign to _open_ and clock-in. Nothing to it! With a happy smile she swept all around the pub and flung the dirt piles out into the street via the front door. For a moment she stood there and watched the cars pass by as the warm summer sun touched her face. Closing her eyes she tilted her face up towards the rays of light so she could soak in the warmth. Her smile broadened. She took in a deep breath, opened her eyes, and gave South Boston a pretty, content smile. Turning, she walked back into the pub. She stopped at the window to flip the sign from _closed _to _open_. She went behind the bar and readied the register.

It was while Kareen was counting how much there was in the till that she heard her uncle calling her.

"K-K-Kareen! Ye better c-come up here!"

She quickly closed the register and ran over to flip the sign back to _closed_. she called out, "En a second!" Walking over to the stairs she shook her head and mumbled quietly to herself, "Ef he broke somethin' agin I'm gunna kick 'im outta his own apartment…" She slowly trudged up the stairs. "Whah now! Please tell me yah didn't break de vase on de end table! I'll beat yah wit' yer own cane ef yah did!" She opened the door to the apartment and couldn't find the strength to walk farther in and shut the door behind her.

Doc wasn't the only person in the room.

"Connor…"

**A/N Alright, so it's official! I'm getting a tattoo before Christmas! Woohoo!**


	34. Dot Dot Dot

**A/N Sat down before work to waste time in a productive way. Was it productive?**

**Also, I know this chapter is a touch slow and dialogue-filled, but I suppose I intended it to be that way.**

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Dot Dot Dot**

Doc stood there for only a moment looking between the two. He had a feeling nothing would be said and no one would move until he left. Clapping his hands together before him he headed for the door. "Kareen, d-d-don't worry 'bout workin' tonight. I-I-I understand ef yah don't." With that he walked past her and made his way down the stairs to open the pub.

Kareen stood there and just stared blankly at Connor. What was he doing back? He said they would probably never come…Why was he now standing in her living room? What reason did he have for returning? Was he back for good, or just temporary? Where had he been? Questions were circling through her mind that she simply couldn't shake. She had to ask them, but first… "Whah are ye doin' here?"

Connor looked at Kareen. He didn't see a cast on her foot or wrist and was glad. Had she still been in them he wouldn't have been able to focus on anything else but _that_ night. Without asking if he could or even hinting he would, Connor sat down on the couch. He sat like any man would with his legs apart, elbows on his knees, and his hands clasped together. _Well, I was trying to think of where to start, but she did that for me. _Taking a deep breath, he looked up to her from where he sat. Why did his mouth suddenly feel so dry? Perhaps he was afraid. No, there was no perhaps. He was afraid. Connor was afraid of her fury should it arise. Connor was afraid of her tears should they fall. He was afraid of hurting her…again. _Man up._ With another deep breath, he firmly stated, "I'm back 'cause Murph an' I have some business ta attend ta."

She ever so slowly walked over to the armchair and sank down onto its overstuffed seat. "Oh," was all she said. To keep her hands busy Kareen fiddled with her skirt. She was trying to get it to rest perfectly over her crossed knees and fall in the prettiest way. Nowhere in her mind did she think of being pretty for Connor. She just wanted a reason to focus the majority of her mind on a meaningless task and not on him.

"I had ta beg an' plead wit' Murph ta let me see yah. He said et was dangerous ef I did, but I had ta."

Her skirt became far less interesting. Kareen suddenly felt like inked pages were wrapping themselves around her and she was settled into the plot of some story that was reaching some kind of major point. Looking up at him, she couldn't help but ask, "Why would et be dangerous?" On a second thought she added, "Please just tell me…this time."

Connor could feel a constricting sensation. He didn't want her to know. He didn't want to ruin whatever thoughts she had of him. The thing he didn't want the most was to see in her eyes how she felt about all of it. Would she be afraid? Relieved? Demand he leave and never return? This time he refused to not tell her. He just needed a way to say it all. _Perhaps_…A thought hit him! He didn't have to tell her everything. _Kareen's a smart gal, she could figure it out if I give clues. That's perfect! _"Alright, I'll tell yah…but not everything."

She nodded. "Understandable. What es et, then?"

He took a deep breath and began. "Murph an' I…we've done some bad shit. Back en March we got in it deep an' de only way ta avoid lookin' out from behind bars was to run. We high-tailed et. We're back now 'cause we've got some business—the same business from March—ta see to." He looked at her. "I ask ye not ta try an' figure et out 'til I've left. Just put a pin en et an' come back ta et later. Please, Kareen."

For the first month of his absence Kareen had promised herself she would be a stone-cold bitch if he ever came back. The ice-queen persona melted and she realized to be understanding and compliant as was her usual behavior would be the best way to go about it all. So that's exactly how she behaved. "Alright. I won't think on et 'til later."

The relieved little grin that came to his face proved to her the usual Kareen McGinty behavior was appreciated.

"Thank ye."

She was thinking about the questions that had been circulating her mind earlier. He had answered as to why he was back and why he was in her apartment. What else was there? She thought over the list of questions and organized them in her mind into relevance as more and more began to pop up. The first one on the list was, "Are ye back fer good?"

The negative shaking of his head only confirmed what she had already guessed. "No. Once we're done we'll be leavin' agin. Gotta get away from 'ere. Probably gunna leave the States." He had begun to fiddle with his fingers and a particular bothersome little hole in his jeans.

Kareen gave a little chuckle.

His head snapped up. A laugh?

She shook her head with a little grin. "Oh, I'm sure leavin' de States willna be hard. Ye an' Murph speak so many languages ye'd fit right in wherever yah went." Her declaration ended in a genuinely sweet smile in his direction.

Connor stared at her in perfect disbelief. The fire-breathing dragon he had known to emerge in the past seemed to have crawled into a cave and gone into hibernation. He couldn't help but give a little chuckle of his own. "I s'pose ye're right."

Kareen took a small handful of fabric in her hands and started to fiddle around with it. "So…Where've yah been?" Her voice was small. It was a question she had pondered before, but was unsure if she really wanted to know the answer.

Leaning back into the couch, he heaved a sigh. "Around. First en New York, den Maine, skipped down ta Pennsylvania. Always stayed in cheap-ass, whole en de wall pieces-o'-shet motels." A small little grin spread over his face. "Yah know, ye'd love gettin' a job as a maid fer those places. Ye'd get ta clean de filth away an' leave et all shiny. Hell, ye'd make a motel livable fer a few days."

There were certain things Kareen didn't care about when it came to compliments. Men told her she was beautiful, she didn't care. People said she had a pretty laugh, which meant nothing to her. Some might say her hair shown in the light, she wouldn't care if she was bald. However, for someone to say that by cleaning she could make something more bearable was like complimenting a mother on the prowess of her child. She puffed out her chest a bit in pride and gave him a large smile. "Thank ye very much, Connor."

A thought crossed her mind. Standing, she gave him her Hostess Smile and asked, "Would ye like somethin' ta drink? I just bought some Guinn—"

"Say no more, ye've already got me wantin' et."

She chuckled quietly to herself as she walked the short length to the kitchen and pulled out two beers. At first she hadn't wanted a drink, but seeing as how she had no idea where the conversation was going she felt a cover of alcohol might help just a bit. Upon her return she handed the drink over to Connor before plopping back down in the armchair.

Connor was grateful for the drink and not just because it was his favorite. He had needed something to counteract the horrid feeling of cotton-mouth he was getting. Why he was still nervous when she seemed so relaxed he didn't know. He just knew that he was mentally fidgeting about whatever topic or question she would bring up next. With the cold drink in his hand, he waited for Kareen to say something, _anything_.

She took a swig of her drink before setting it gently down on a coaster. "Have ye got ta know yer da? Did 'e go wit' ye?" On this topic she was particularly interested. As a child she had always been incredibly close to her parents and often found herself missing them dearly during her life in America. She wanted to know if Connor actually liked his father or not.

He gave a little grin. "Da came wit' us. Yah know, Murph an' I didn't even know 'is name 'til now..well, 'til a few months back when we met 'im. Ma never told us. She said et wasn't important, yah know?" He leaned back comfortably in the seat. "He's a great guy. Nicest guy ever. Polite. Ye'd get along great wit' him. You an' 'im act alike, bein' all proper an' such."

Kareen gave him a smile that lit the room. "Thank ye, Connor. I'm glad yah think dat." Most people were put off by how proper and well-brought-up Kareen was. Her "goody goody" behavior bothered others. She was genuinely happy to know there was someone who thought it was a good thing to be a little more straight-laced than the rest of society.

And so began the awkward silence.

For an upwards of fifteen minutes neither of them spoke.

Time ticked away without a sound to be heard other than the occasional clink of a bottle on a table, the clearing of a throat, or the tap of a foot.

Tick…

Kareen started to fidget uncomfortably with her skirt.

Tock…

Connor began tapping his foot rhythmically.

Tick…

An alarm out on the street made both of them jump suddenly.

Tock…

A sudden sneeze from the young woman brought forth the only words spoken in what felt like years.

"Bless yah."

This was unbearable. Connor wanted to ask Kareen so many things, but where could he begin? He wanted to ask how she had been, what she had been up to, how her wrist and ankle felt, if she was over…it…yet, but he couldn't seem to get the words to form on his tongue. What would be a polite way to ask if she was over it, anyway? One doesn't simply ask if a girl is over a miscarriage…do they? Would that be acceptable? He personally didn't think it would be. In fact, he didn't even know if it was acceptable to ask her. Was it? Would she mind? Something in his gut told him even if she wasn't over it just yet she wouldn't tear his head off or collapse into a heap of despair…he thought. Would the mere mentioning drop her into a pit of despair from which she would never climb out of? He certainly didn't want _that _to happen. He would never be able to forgive himself if he caused such a beautiful, vibrant person to become a shell of herself. That would be cruel not only to herself but to everyone she knew and everyone around her.

Connor looked up to the ceiling, but was staring far beyond it. He needed help and the only person he knew who might have the answer was the big man Upstairs. Naturally, as He tends to run things, he decided he would answer Connor later when the help may no longer be needed. Or at least that's what Connor thought when no answer came to him. _Gee, thanks. You give us a sign to kill the assholes of the world but when I'm tongue-tied about a girl You fall silent. You're probably up there smirking and chuckling…_

He turned his head and glanced at Kareen. He hadn't seen her for approximately three months but he had never forgotten how beautiful she was. That near inhuman beauty that graced her was unforgettable. How could he forget the depth of her gorgeous green eyes? How could he forget the perfect curves of her body? Was it possible to forget her naturally tinted lips he had kissed so often? Forgetting such things was perfectly impossible.

_Fuck it. Man up and just ask __something!_

"So…How've ye been?" _A good start…maybe…_

The small smile that came to her face was enough to make Connor feel like someone was squeezing everything out of him. He was unsure if it was a good or bad feeling.

"I've been good. Got me cast off taday, as ye cin tell," Kareen said as she began toying with her skirt again. She tucked a stray hair out of her face. She knew what he was getting at. A woman like Kareen was too smart to not know what he wanted to ask. _Should I just talk about it? Would that be easier? I mean, I know I'm better about it…is that what he wants to know?_ Biting her lip, Kareen took that chance. Standing, she crossed the short distance between her chair and the cushion beside him on the sofa. She sat down beside him and—in a second bold act—she took his hand gently.

"Connor, I know ye wanna know ef I'm alright 'bout…et." She still had trouble actually saying what had happened, but she knew it had happened and she acknowledged that it happened.

His head popped up and he stared her down. How was it he could either dance his thoughts around her understanding or she could read him like a book? Looking back down he realized her hand was in his. _When did that get there? _He slowly rubbed his thumb across her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. There was no getting around it now. "Are y'alright?"

Kareen gave him a sweet smile. "Aye, I am." With the hand that was in his, she began to toy with his fingers. "I promise ye thes; I'll never be over et, but I'm fine. I still relive dat night an' I cry, but not so often. I donna know ef ye feel de same and I doubt dat yah do. Et happened, yes. Et was an accident, yes. Et was no one's fau—"

"Et's my fault. Ef I hadn't pissed y'off ye wouldn't o' gone traipsin' off an' 'ave fallen."

She was taken aback by this. Was he taking responsibility for all of it? Really? Could this be? Shaking her head, Kareen refused to let him think that way. "No, Connor, et wasn't yer fault. Et wasn't my fault. Ef anythin', we blame de stair fer moving under my foot an' causin' it. I swear dat's what happened! I put me foot down and suddenly the stair warn't there!"

Kareen smiled in triumph as his shoulders gave a little shake of laughter. Her smile touched her eyes as she gave his hand another squeeze. "There, no more thinkin' et's anyone's fault, yeah? Anyway, ef ye think 'bout et, et woulda been impossible ta agree on a name. Don't try an' deny de truth, neither!"

He laughed, and this time it was a far more pronounced laugh. There was not a doubt in his mind that she was perfectly correct. He gave her a smile. "Ye're right."

"Am I usually wrong?"

"Never," he said as he shook his head. There was one thing he did wonder about. "So…Ef yah don't mind my askin', whah would ye have named the baby."

She smiled and leaned back into the couch. "Ian."

Why was she not surprised by the look of dismay on Connor's face?

He shook his head. "Hell no. Bowen or nothin'."

Kareen grimaced. "I hate dat name! Whah 'bout girls, eh? Genevieve or Genna on yer list ta hate?"

He snorted. "Damn right. No daughter o' mine woulda been named _Genna! _No. Et's Annabelle. Ma woulda liked dat."

With a roll of her eyes, she stated quite plainly, "Oh, whah a _lovely_ name from a _lovely_ woman." Kareen had never met the boys' mother, but she _had _overheard a phone call or two and she couldn't say she was too partial of the woman.

"Ye got somethin' ta say 'bout my ma?"

"Absolutely not. I'm just sayin' ef et was a girl I wouldna let yah name 'er _Annabelle…_I don't like dat name."

The two had a stare down for quite some time before he looked away.

Connor blew out a breath. "Fine."

Pushing off of the back of the couch, she took his hand once again. "Good." Absently, she interlaced her fingers with his and started to rub her thumb along his hand.

He turned to look at her as she did this. As he stared at her, she stared back. There was a swelling urge within him as he stared into those emerald orbs. He wanted to kiss her. Who wouldn't want to? She with her irresistibly beautiful lips and gorgeous, darkly-lashed eyes was perfectly tempting. What good would it do, though? After what he, his brother, and their father had planned was accomplished they would be out of the states…and probably for good. Would kissing her really be helpful?

What she said next really didn't help the situation for him at all.

"I've missed yah, Connor."

She wasn't lying. She had missed Connor. The feeling came most often at night when she laid in bed. Oh, how she missed the feeling of him beside her or the slow steady sound of his breathing. They had spent many nights in the same bed and she had grown accustomed to it. A bedroom without him was cold and quite lonely.

Kareen sat there staring back at him while she ever so slightly bit down on her lip. There was no denying it in her own mind that she desperately wanted to kiss him. It had been so long since she had kissed him last that she wondered if it would feel as it always had. All she would have to do was lean forward and…


	35. PPS

**A/N So, I definitely feel my cliffhanger was justified. I'm sorry that it's been taking me ages to upload. I've been super busy with work and school and rehearsals. Anyway, here is the final installment in this fanfiction. I hope you have enjoyed it and I know it has taken me longer to finish it than I intended, but no one is perfect! **

**All my love to those who have read and those who have replied. You guys make writing stories all the better. Love yah!**

**Chapter Thirty-Five: PPS**

Kareen was laying face-down on her bed with the happiest smile on her face. She snuggled closer to the person she was sharing her bed with. The two had given into their urges and had started kissing as they sat on the couch. One thing had led to another and before either of them really realized what was going on they were in her bed. Not that either of them were complaining. Who in their right mind would complain about making love to someone they loved? Certainly not Connor or Kareen.

Connor was playing his fingers up and down her spine as they laid there. A soft grin was on his face. He could never figure out exactly what it was about Kareen that he loved most. Her smile, her laugh, her demeanor, nothing seemed to come out on top. Brushing aside some of her hair, he bent down some and pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder.

As the light of the sun fades, so did Kareen's smile. It was replaced with a saddened frown. Pushing herself up, she held the sheet to her bare chest and stared with sad eyes at Connor. "Are ye really never coming back?"

He gently held her cheek in his hand as he rubbed this thumb just below her eye. "We can't come back. Not thes time. I'm sorry."

Her frowned deepened. "But ye must know where ye're goin'! Y'only said ye were leavin' de States. Surely ye must know where y'intend ta go."

It was with a sad heart that Connor continued denying her the answer. "I can't say I do." _Lies_… "We'll probably bounce around a bet before settlin', ef we ever do settle, dat es."

"Well, where would ye settle?" Her eyes brightened at the mere thought of possibly knowing where he would be.

Connor gazed at her. It couldn't be past four or five so there was plenty of light to see everything about her visage. How could he deny such wanting eyes? Taking a deep breath and breaking Murphy's don't-tell-her rule, he said, "We'll probably end up en Ireland. No one'll find us dere. We'll be safe."

It was like Christmas. She sat completely upright with eyes dancing with this news. "Won't ye tell me where? Please, Connor! Ef I visit home ye know I'll want ta visit yah. Please. Whah ef I swear never ta tell where yah went?"

He shook his head. "Thes es why Murph told me not ta tell yah…I can't tell yah, Kareen. I, personally, don't wanna risk et. I'm sorry."

The look of despair that crossed her face was enough to truly and completely break his heart. He hated being forced to deny Kareen any of her deepest wishes. But what else could he do?

Determination suddenly came to her. "Den I'll go wit' yah. Please, Connor. I belong en Ireland as more den I belong 'ere."

It saddened Connor all the more to shake his head _no_ in response. "I can't allow dat, Kareen. Ef you go missin' when we disappear den ye could get linked ta—"

"But I wouldna go missin'! I would just tell ev'ryone I was 'ome sick an' decided I didna wanna be here anymore! Oh, Connor, please donna tell me no."

There comes a time in every man's life when he must make a decision that could change the course of the lives of many. Connor had made many of these decisions before, but not without help. Murphy had always been a helpful, deciding factor in his decision-making process. If the action affected his twin in a negative way he often decided against it. If the action went against his brother he might find a way around it. If the action was the total opposite of his brother's wishes he would probably drop the subject. But how could he choose between his brother and the woman he loved? He could not. Each side of the situation was weighted too heavily for either to come out on top. He loved Kareen and would abhor leaving her for an undecided amount of time. He had a connection with his brother that was unparalleled. Was he willing to give up one for the other? Surely if he agreed to let Kareen come his brother would be so furious that the rift that would form would never be mended. If there was one thing Murphy did _not _want it was Kareen to come with. He had stated that vehemently before Connor had left to talk to her. But…Connor wouldn't feel right with leaving Kareen. He loved her too fully to say goodbye.

The internal struggle was too much for him to bear. Connor hung his head in defeat, not wanting to look into her searching, yearning green eyes. Though his mind had made the choice, his heart was demanding a recount on the votes. "No."

Kareen laid back down and frowned. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes in a feeble attempt to quell the tears that dared to form. Her back was to him as she couldn't stand even the notion that he was in the same bed as her. "When yah leave, give Murph my regards…"

Utter and complete defeat. Again, he had been beaten down and forced into decisions he didn't want. How much more of this was he supposed to take? With a struggled sigh he laid down beside her and wrapped an arm about her. A small wave of relief washed over him when she neither tensed nor shook him off. She was not denying him and that's all he cared about.

With eyes closed she laid there. Kareen tried her best to will herself to sleep for in her sleep she would not feel him there. She did not shake him off for she hadn't the strength for the task. Her heart was too broken for such a thing. She had wanted to go with him and she would have been so willing to leave America behind for her beloved homeland. She had only been in the States for a little over a year. She held little in common with the country. Hell, she wasn't even a full-fledged US citizen yet. She had her working visa and such, but little more than that. Why wouldn't she want to go home?

Kareen's head popped up off the pillow. She sat upright and rubbed a hand over her face. What time was it? Her room was dark, but light enough to tell her it was probably sometime around sunrise. Looking around she found that she was alone. Connor was gone…There was no way of knowing when he left. A crippling sadness fell over Kareen. She could not stop the tears that began to form. In a hasty reaction she wiped them away.

What's this?

Kareen felt a strange weight on her left wrist. It was loose and had fallen as she wiped away the tears. Pulling her hands away from her face she stared wide-eyed at her left hand. There, were it had sat for months before March, was a silver bracelet with three gorgeous sapphires set into it. Tears poured down her cheeks—tears of joy. She clutched her wrist to her chest. In the months she hadn't worn the bracelet she never realized how much she missed it. She opened her eyes and that's when she saw the badly folded piece of paper tucked slightly under the pillow Connor had been using. Kareen reached over and grabbed the sheet. With hungry eyes she opened the letter and read it in the dim light.

_Kareen,_

_ I truly am sorry that I can't take you with me. Believe me when I say it hurts me as much as it probably is hurting you. There is nothing in this world I want more than to be with you. But __curcum__ the situation won't allow it. Just know that I will __never__ forget you and never plan on forgetting you._

_ I love you, Kareen._

_ Always yours, Connor_

_ PS I really hope Murphy never finds out about this letter. He'd never let me live it down. You know Murphy, he loves to poke fun at the fact that I can be a little romantic at times._

_ PPS I carried that bracelet in my pocket since the day you gave it back._

The tears welled in her eyes as she thought of how totally and completely amazing Connor was. And now…he was out of her life forever.

Rubbing her eyes, Kareen walked out into the living room. She was surprised to see Doc was awake before she was. As she was about to speak he hushed her. Confused, she sat down beside him on the couch. The news was on. Her brows knitted together as she tried to figure what was so important that even her uncle was watching the news. Doc never watched the news!

_"Let's go inside the courthouse where another reporter is getting everything on the Yakavetta Trial." _

Kareen frowned. She had seen clips of the Yakavetta court trials and was getting sick of seeing his face. It was obvious that therat bastard was guilty. He was a mobster and that was all the evidence Kareen needed to mentally declare him guilty.

_"You ask me where I was, well I don't know where I was!" _Yakavetta cried with a little laugh.

Kareen hated how utterly unfazed he was.

Suddenly, the doors to the courtroom burst open! Three men came running in with guns drawn and demanding for the cameras to be shut off.

The television screen went black.

Kareen was clutching the cushion of the couch. She turned to face her uncle. Did he as easily recognize two of the three men as she had?

The female reporter came back on.

_"Three men have just interrupted the trial. They have weapons drawn and are believed to be the media-dubbed Saints. We do not know what is happening and we do not know who their weapons are pointed at. Wait, hold on a moment._" She stopped and turned to a man who was off screen. Turning back, she blanched slightly. _"We have just been told by one of the guards who made contact with those outside the courtroom via radio that the three men seem to be warning those in the courtroom about what acts will bring upon their wrath." _She stopped and turned to the man off screen once more. Whatever blood was still in her face left. _"They now have their weapons to the ba—"_

The shots rang out!

The reporter dropped slightly before turning to face the building. People began rushing out of the courthouse only to be mobbed by the waiting members of the media.

Kareen shut off the television. She could not bear to watch anymore of the happenings. Her stomach began to do flips and twists as she thought about what Connor had told her the day before. He had said he and Murphy had gotten into some bad business. He said they would have been stuck behind bars if they were ever caught.

Now she knew what they had been doing.

Now she knew why they had returned.

Now…she…knew…

It took everything in her not to get sick. The shock of it all was incredible. Never had she fathomed that the Saints were _Connor and Murphy! _

It was the next wave of understanding that made it all the more difficult not to get sick. This was the business that they had returned to see too. That meant only one thing:

From that day forth Kareen would be without Connor. She would be without her love. She would be without Murphy, who was a very dear friend. Her heart broke. She would miss Murphy, yes, but she would grieve for the loss of Connor. The one man she had loved so wholly. She had known him a very short while, but she had fallen so totally in love with him. And now he was…

Gone.


End file.
